The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish
by Wrathie Winsre
Summary: The sequel to Blue Rose Paradox. Returning to his original mission to capture the Weiss, will the 'Captured' Girl's assistance be more of a hindrance then a help during his captures when they are forced to help him? Will the God complete his mission and yet still stay unscathed despite the difficulties?
1. Foreshadowing

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 1: Foreshadowing**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

**Additional Notes: Moonflowers symbolizes dreams for Love.**

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**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Wolf's Honour & AKAAkira _for the beta-edit and help with this chapter's release, there would be issues if you two hadn't helped me with it... Thank you, so much for your help and dedication to this!****  
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The beginning was always something that was important, everything had a beginning and everything had an end, but if the opening wasn't important or eye catching it meant that readers wouldn't be interested.

In contrast, the ending might be a little less glamorous depending on the reader. If the story was straightforward, predictable or had hints dropped along the way for the finish, the ending might be boring and perhaps lacklustre if one could figure out the ending before it was even shown.

The situation was reversed if the reader was unable to guess the ending or perhaps guessed the ending only for it to be 'extended' due to a plot twist at the later stages of the story.

As such, one can say that the ending was really hit or miss and authors were known to pull plot twists out of nowhere, with no warning, forewarning, no prior hints whatsoever to satisfy their audiences.

Logic might not be enough in some cases and so the beginning as well as the middle of each story were the most important parts of a good story, subjected to the tastes of the reader.

For the **Capturing God**, that was the truth as he could usually see the ending of each heroine, their defined archetypes and their individual characteristics all adding up to the preferred or most likely ending.

In fact, he had an astonishing 83.9% rate of accuracy predicting a heroine's ending by the middle of the game. It was one of his skills and the sole reason for the 16.1% was due to unforeseen plot twists or additional clues thrown into the mix during the final stages of the story.

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This story didn't have a good start, one could say that it was probably one of the worse starts in a bishoujo game, one that even Keima found to be hard to stomach.

He might say that it was possible but extremely niche and catered to only a selected audience who could accept this ending...

This is the story about a girl who went against all norms in a bishoujo game at the beginning, at least in the beginning.

Was it her ploy to make things interesting? Or was it her own back-story causing the problems? It wasn't conventional at all... but he digressed seeing that the ending was something that he had decided for her, a change from the usual build-ups that had happened before.

Can one call her unique because of that? Perhaps, but is she memorable?

To that, the **Capturing God** didn't quite have the answer. How could he, when he remembers all of them, his captured heroines from the **real** and the **ideal** itself.

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'Eheh, Kami-Onii-sama~ Now that you've made peace with the other girls, we can go back to your mission right?'

Elsi smiled cheerfully as the two of them shared lunch together alone for the first time in a whole week and Keima frowned while looking up from his PFP. Elsi's mood had certainly gotten better after he finished with the last of the 'requests' from the girls and he shrugged while commenting that he didn't really care about Elsi's mission.

'I've been working hard for the past week so I should get a few days off to play my games. Have you any idea how many games I've not played since we started? At this rate it'll be difficult to hold my title as the **Capturing God**. I'm going to play my games after school Elsi, and you are not in any way to interfere or to get in my way at all! Did you get that?'

Pointing an accusing finger at Elsi, Keima nodded in satisfaction as Elsi nodded her head and said that she did while sighing in resignation.

'Kami-Onii-sama... I wish you don't have to play some of your games... then Kami-Onii-sama can go out with all of us sometimes, desho? Ayumi-chan and Chihiro-chan really wanted to go watch a movie... and if you come with us, they'll be very happy.'

Putting on a longing face, Elsi failed miserably as Keima was lost in his own world again, his hands typing on his keyboard relentlessly as he tried his best to finish his games in record time.

The only reason that they got this reprieve today, a girl-free day was that they all had some personal matters to attend to.

The girls who normally gathered around him during lunch were Asami and Aoba and the former had to meet their club members for a meeting while Aoba took the day off as she wanted to focus on a new game that came out. This gave Keima an opportunity to have peace and he was not letting Elsi or anyone ruin that moment for him.

It had been a long week where he had played little, not to mention wasted precious time reflecting on his actions that has happened so far.

He couldn't say that it was all wasted effort though as in the end he was able to find some closure for all the girls as well as their support to continue in the same path.

All of it was perhaps worth the time spent in the end, though only in the end and Keima was relieved seeing the end of that particular chapter in his life.

'… Kami-Onii-sama baka! Baka, Baka! What if another Weiss was in school and we couldn't stop it because Kami-Onii-sama was playing his games!'

Elsi tried to remind him of how important it was but Keima shrugged it off like always, there were other things that were more important in his life than capturing Weiss and for now, let him indulge in them for a while longer.

Just, a while longer, please.

..

Keima would get that wish as the day passed peacefully for him, enabling him to not only catch up on his games but to clear his Inbox which was filled to the brim with requests for help from all over the world.

It was a happy day for him and he was in a good mood as the two of them made their way back home, Keima neglecting to mention how Elsi's own inactivity was the reason for them not being able to find more weiss.

Unlike Yukie, Haqua's partner who went around on her rounds everyday, interacting and meeting people, Elsi remained mostly stagnant in every day affairs, discovering Weiss by accident and not even making an attempt to try and locate Weiss by herself.

Was she being complacent? Or was she just happy with the rate of progress they had so far?

Keima was certain that although both methods relied on luck to search for Weiss, Yukie would accommodate her route to reach the largest population of people, slowly trimming her route down to meet all individuals with Weiss while still searching for them.

Keima did not think that Yukie was a bad partner at all as she was proactive in her approach, worked as best as she could with Haqua and Haqua was simply not taking her matters into consideration before judging her, she wasn't stuck with an inadequate buddy at all!

As for himself, he was an unwilling party in this agreement and he figured that his only goal was to capture the girls that Elsi found out. Yes, he wanted to get out of this scenario sooner but that didn't mean that he has to do all the work.

Keima was loathe to tell Elsi that though as he was certain that if he did, he'll end up accompanying her anyway and thus decreasing the limited amount of time he can game again.

It would amount to a no-win situation so Keima kept his mouth shut as the two of them left the school compound and headed for the school gates.

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'Hey, hey... look at that guy over there, who is he waiting for huh?'

'Oi oi, don't stare at him, he might be part of a gang... Shit, he's looking this way!'

Several boys were commenting at a middle-aged man loitering around the school entrance and they quickly made their escape when the man stared and glared at the two of them. It was indeed odd to see someone waiting outside the school like this but Keima wasn't going to ask why as it was none of his concern.

Someone should tell that to Elsi though as the little demon walked over and asked him what was going out, causing Keima to do a double take as she smiled and introduced herself to him.

'Hai, Katsuragi Elsi desu! Are you looking for someone?'

Keima hung back awkwardly even as Elsi greeted and spoke to the stranger. He knew that Elsi was a helpful girl who wouldn't hurt a fly but wasn't this too much? Offering to help to a stranger who looked like he wanted trouble? Geez...

'Ah, yes, I'm waiting for my daughter... perhaps you know her?'

'Your daughter? Is she in high school or junior high, Mister?'

Keima turned to shoot a dirty look at Elsi, who promptly ignored it pretty much much just like how he had been doing to her. He would be proud of it in any situation and Elsi just continued speaking with the man as he stuttered while replying.

'Well... it's been so long that... I can't really remember. She must be around your age now... though she might be in Junior High... err... perhaps you'll know her anyway, she's Konoe... Konoe Rea.'

'Konoe... Rea-san?'

Elsi apparently didn't know the name at all and the man sighed as he shook his head.

'Well, it was too good to be true. I'll wait for her here, thank you for your help...erm, Katsu...'

'Katsuragi desu!'

'Thank you for your help, Katsuragi.'

'Perhaps... you could ask the teachers for help? If you're her father, you could do that right?'

The man looked a little awkward while Keima simply sighed. If he didn't know what grade she was studying in and was waiting outside of the school like a fool, it meant that he was either an estranged parent or had not seen her daughter for a long time, if he was her _real father_ at all.

Either way, he didn't want to get involved further and he pulled Elsi by her hand away from him.

'Are you done, Elsi?'

'A-Ah... ah yes, I'm sorry, Konoe-san.'

Bowing to him, Elsi was surprised when he said that his family name wasn't Konoe.

'It's Sanka. It's a complicated issue but Rea's mother has always been stubborn on that... you know, she's the perfect example of a modern woman. I haven't seen her in quite a while and she's constantly moving. I was just in the neighbourhood and I thought I'll go and see her.'

Scratching his head, he looked positively haggard and Elsi pulled Keima back while saying that she'll do whatever she can to help find her.

'I... I understand that feeling, I haven't seen my sister for a long time so I'll help you, Sanka-san! Wait here please, I'll go and find Konoe-san for you!'

Dragging Keima with her, Elsi hurried off to the staff room while he wondered what he had been dragged off into again, choosing to just go with the flow as he played on his PFP.

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'Why are you doing this again?'

Keima asked curtly to Elsi as the two of them headed towards the next class in search for Konoe Rea. Elsi had gotten all fired up and Keima had decided to let her handle this situation by herself. In a way, his stubbornness was rubbing on her and he sighed again as Elsi said that she _had_ to help him.

'I haven't seen my sister and parents in around a hundred years... they kept in contact for the first two hundred... but I think... they were too disappointed in me to even call me in the last hundred years... I know the feeling of being lonely and wanting to see one's parents, Kami-Onii-sama! That's why I have to help Sanka-san to find Konoe-san! You might not realize it as you are staying with Oka-sama... but you will when you live alone!'

'… I doubt that.'

Still, Keima no longer stopped Elsi from doing what she wanted and he simply followed her as she popped into each class to ask whether there was a Konoe-san around.

'Excuse me... but is there a Konoe-san in your class? Konoe Rea-san.'

Asking yet another confused junior, Elsi's search seemed hopeless as she came up blank for the junior high and she headed off to their classrooms in a bid to see if they were able to find someone of that name.

'Ah! Ayumi-chan!'

Seeing their friend together with her track mates in the distance, Elsi ran over to her while Keima simply walked there patiently with all the time in the world. There were things that he rather do with his time but with Elsi so determined to help out, Keima knew it was futile resisting and trying to escape and he just continued on with his games, fingers flying over his PFP.

'Ah, Elsi-chan! What are you doing here? I'd have thought you would be at home now!'

Smiling at Elsi and then blushing when she saw Keima walking towards then, Ayumi closed one eye and commented that Keima should pay closer attention to the surroundings and not ignore her.

'Good afternoon, Ayumi.'

Watching as Keima replied while accompanying it with a sigh, Ayumi smiled too as she greeted him back while listening to Elsi telling her about the situation.

'Hmm... Konoe-san... huh? Well there's no one in the track and field club of that name... but I'll ask around for you if you want! Wait here!'

Running off to her friends, Ayumi started to gather some information as Elsi waited eagerly, hoping to find a lead about this elusive girl while Keima wondered why she didn't try to use her raiment to search for the girl instead.

It would save time and effort but Keima knew that Elsi had absolutely no skills or knowledge on how to use her raiment properly and the information she provided with her raiment was just the bare facts. Thus, he refrained from pointing that out. Good old fashioned leg work was viable after all, as long as he wasn't the one doing that of course.

'Mm! One of my friends said that there's a girl with that name in her class. She thinks that she's in the library club. You did say... Konoe Rea right?'

Beaming as she returned with that news, Ayumi's expression turned curious as she asked Keima whether it was one of his assignments.

'This Konoe Rea-san, she couldn't be in trouble, would she?'

'No, I hope not.'

Keima replied quickly as he crossed his fingers in hope. If she really had a Weiss in her, that'll throw away all hopes of him playing games for the week. His look and feeling of despair must have been picked up by Ayumi as she giggled and petted his shoulder even as Elsi took off without him.

'You're our hero, Keima-kun! And Heroes don't quit while they're ahead, right?'

Winking at him, Ayumi ignored his protests as she ran back to her friends.

He wasn't really that unlucky, was he?

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'The library club... is this a coincidence?'

Keima reflected as he leaned back on his usual seat while waiting for the library club's meeting to end. They had found Shiori together with the rest of the club members in a corner of the library and he had to pull the excited Elsi back from intruding and interrupting the meeting.

Yes, she had a point in that they were making Sanka-san wait but that was his choice in the first place. If he wasn't that interested in finding his daughter, he wouldn't have agreed to wait for them at all.

Besides, Elsi could go back and tell him what was going on after all. However the little demon insisted in staying as she was afraid the meeting would end and Konoe-san would leave before they could identify her.

'Kami-Onii-sama, why is this a coincidence?'

Elsi was reading another book about fire-engines. The stack of book that Shiori had shown her had been partially devoured by Elsi and her love of those fire-engines, but she still had quite a way to go before finishing all of them.

'For information to come to our hands that easily... normally we'll be running up and down for them but it took only a few tries before we reached what we are looking for. There is no such thing as a free lunch after all.'

Using one of his favourite lines, Keima was about to say more when Elsi sat up and exclaimed that the meeting was over, causing the club members to shoot dirty looks at them for breaking the silence.

'G-Gomen, gomen!'

Bowing to them shamefully, Elsi caught the attention of Shiori, who was the secretary. The quiet girl quickly hurried over to the two of them even as she excused herself.

'Konnichiwa... Elsi... Katsuragi-san.'

Greeting them, Shiori asked them if they wanted something from her. Elsi quickly filled her in while Keima kept a look out for the girls who were starting to leave till Shiori nodded her head.

'I understand... Rea desu ka? She's the girl over there... the girl with the wavy black hair at the door now.'

Shiori spoke softly and smiled as Elsi rushed away to catch the girl, leaving her together with Keima as he stood up from his seat slowly to look at Shiori.

'Can you tell me more about her, Shiomiya?'

'… I'm... friends with Rea... she's quiet... but, I... I feel that she has been quite stressed lately...'

'Do you know why?'

Shiori bit her lip as she considered but then shook her head while explaining.

'That... is only my guess... Rea usually does library duties after school with me...but lately she has been asking permission to skip... duties after school. I... I think it has something to do with her family.'

Shiori blushed when Keima thanked her for that info and moved to catch Elsi, who was still speaking to Konoe Rea at the entrance of the library. Important or not, at least he now had a point of contact for this Konoe Rea.

'Katsuragi... san.'

Just like Ayumi, Shiori held him back, this time by pulling at his sleeve and when Keima turned to meet her, she pumped her small hand in the air slowly while muttering: 'Fight-o... Katsuragi-san.'

It was her way of showing encouragement and he shook his head while sighing.

'Like I said... it may... not be the case here.'

He really hoped so... but with so many triggers and flags going off, it was going to be hard for this girl to _not_ be the target of a Weiss.

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'My father?'

Elsi nodded eagerly as she filled Konoe Rea about what has been happening but contrary to her expectations, she did not seem too excited about the situation.

Konoe Rea stood out a little amongst the crowds, her resemblance to Kasuga Kusonoki was startling from a distance the exception of how her hair curled up at the edges, probably due to some perming done that has not been maintained. Looking closely she didn't radiate the sense of confidence that Kusonoki had, rather, she was a person who was more mellow and controlled.

One of her more unique features was how she had a small mole above her right eye and she nodded to Elsi again in appreciation.

'So where is he now?'

'Your otou-san is at the school's entrance now, Konoe-san!'

Smiling eagerly at her, Elsi was confused when she sighed again before nodding her head.

'Alright... Thank you... erm...'

'Katsuragi desu, Katsuragi Elsi!'

'Katsuragi-san... huh? Thank you, Katsuragi-san, I'll go meet him now.'

Pushing the door open, Konoe Rea walked off towards the entrance. Elsi watching on as though she was in a trance till Keima asked whether she was the right person.

'She is... but it's odd... she doesn't seem happy to know her father's here.'

Tilting her head while resting one finger on her chin, Elsi was rewarded by Keima snorting and following after Konoe Rea's footsteps as well.

'Not everyone loves their parents like you do, Elsi... their parents did get a divorce for a reason... and seeing the state the father is in, I wouldn't be happy to see him either. C'mon, you started this, so you should at least end this.'

Pulling her along, Keima and Elsi followed the girl to the gate, where they were greeted by Sanka-san running towards and hugging Konoe-san tightly.

This caused Elsi's eyes to be filled with tears and she wiped them away happily upon seeing a happy reunion of father and daughter. Only Keima wasn't convinced and he saw her looking away from her father's face as she squeezed her father's hand slowly.

She doesn't look too thrilled to see him after all... but this was none of his concern... none at a-

'DORO DORO!'

Oh, hell no!

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**Author's Notes: There'll be a new poll up, about BRP, so do take the time to go through it!**

**R&R people, I broke my personal rule about OCs... so, it's something new for me as well!  
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	2. Analysis

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 2: Analysis**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

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**Author's Notes: Thank you for your support, and your comments! I hope to see all of you continue reading on while she fleshes out!**  
** It's not a crossover so any resemblances are just me fooling around~  
**

**Thank you, AAAkira and Wolf's Honour for beta-ing and working so hard for me!  
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Keima did not want to believe in coincidences but it seemed too good to be true and he swore silently to herself as Elsi hurriedly attempted to hide her Weiss Radar from plain sight after he pulled the demon girl a side to hide the two of them.

Basically it seemed that the girl they were chasing after, Konoe Rea, had a Weiss hidden inside her as well. Keima sighed after thinking about the implications and complications that would result from this outcome

Looks like his plan for the day and week has gone up in smoke as Elsi would no doubt pester him till he finally agreed to start capturing this girl as well.

From what he can see, this girl's problems no doubt came from her family and her environment and were not directly connected with herself. That was his initial judgement from the information that was readily available to him at the start and as he wanted to get his over as fast as possible, Keima put down his PFP to have a look at how Rea was getting along with her father.

At first glance, they seemed to be getting along well, her father beaming at her as he spoke with her but Keima noted how her hands gripped her skirt tightly as the two of them left together.

It was a sign of stress or at least strain and Keima did not miss how hesitant she was initially when her father approached her.

Was it dislike? No, if she really disliked him, she wouldn't have been willing to approach him at all. At least they knew that he was her father though, that counted for something. But there must be something else going on here and Keima sighed before moving away from their hiding spot.

'K-Kami Onii-sama! Ko-konoe-san has a Weiss inside her!'

'I noticed, Elsi... welcome back.'

Replying dryly, Keima retraced his footsteps back to the library in search of the first point of contact for the two of them, Shiomiya Shiori.

It was perhaps a stroke of luck or perhaps a stroke of misfortune for Keima that had given them this contact, if not they would never have located Rea in the first place. Either way, Their objective was to find Shiori for now to gather more information.

'Since you'll force me to go catch the weiss anyway, I may as well be a little more proactive today, no?'

Sighing as he admitted defeat, Keima was suddenly jerked from behind by Elsi who clung on to his hand and refused to let go no matter how much he tried to shake her off.

'Kami-Onii-sama, you're awesome! Really, really awesome! Elsi really likes that aspect of you, Kami-Onii-sama!'

'Would you quit it! Now you can't tag the both of them! Damnit, Elsi!'

Flailing about even as Keima tried to shake her off, Elsi looked at Keima with admiration as he simply carried on, avoiding her gaze.

There's no use trying to praise him for something he was going to do in the first place, he was the **Capturing God** after all.

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'Rea... desu ka?

Catching hold of Shiori again as she was on duty today, the two of them sat together with her as they explained the situation to her again. They left out the details on the weiss of course, that was top secret material and she wasn't cleared to be read in to that at all.

'Mm... Konoe Rea-san desu. She's in trouble so Kami-Onii-sama would need to save her! Do you know anything more about her?'

Leaving it to Elsi to use the easiest explanation available, Keima nodded his head at the statement, even if it was a little vague on the real details.

Even Shiori felt so and Keima felt that the girl sounded a little cross at the get-go when they asked her about Rea again. She tilted her head to the side, questioning them for a moment before nodding her head in understanding. The situation between him and the girls were never fully explained but since he had agreed to their request, the girls themselves seemed to be happy to drop it for now.

That sentiment was perhaps the only thing that made Shiori not question them and Keima apologized to the quiet girl for withholding so much from them.

I apologize for this in advance, Shiomiya. I understand that it must be difficult for you to accept this fact so quickly.'

Looking at her in the eye, Keima saw her blush before she nodded her head slowly.

'I understand... I'll do what I can to help... I know that if Katsuragi-san was able to tell us more, he would... so... I'll drop it, for now.'

Looking them as sternly as she could, Shiori placed her book down on the table..

'When... the both of you... can tell us what... is going on. We... will be very happy... till then, I'll... just have to hold... my curiosity for a while... longer.'

Tapping her fingers against her book, Shiori started by telling them more about Konoe Rea as the two of them listened closely.

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'Konoe-san is from the library club... and she is from Class 2-A... as I told Katsuragi-san before, she prefers to do library duties after school... and she lives with her mother... I heard that her parents were divorced... a long time ago. She's not like me at all, but she's like me too... it's hard to explain it, Katsuragi-san... but I feel that she doesn't mind being alone or with friends... either of them would do for her.'

Shiori wasn't one to gossip and that was all that she could give, to the disappointment of Elsi, but for Keima it was valuable information as she had verified most of his thoughts as well as confirmed what the father had said to them.

'I see, I can see more of what is going on right now. Does Konoe-san talk much, Shiomiya?'

'Ano... Katsuragi-san... I would like it... no, prefer it... if you would call me... by my name.. please.'

Frowning slightly as she was looking at him, she seemed a little ticked off by how formal he was with her in contrast to his attitude towards Elsi despite having so many things happen between the two of them. The **Capturing God** changed tack to appease the girl and quickly corrected himself.

'Shiori then... does Konoe-san talk much? What does she normally talk about? Did she talk about herself often?'

It took a while for Shiori to answer that question. It was perhaps a good thing that Shiori was their point of contact as she had a very good memory even if she likes to bury her nose into her books more often than not. She just needed some time to gather her thoughts before speaking out.

'Mm... she doesn't speak much at all about herself... I... I worked with her a few times before... but she didn't say anything different during our duties together... she likes to read, or study... during duties. As I like to read too... we don't talk that much. But when she does, she is very... passionate about the things that she like.'

So this girl was the private type who didn't like to talk about herself, she was similar to Shiori then. Shiori herself seemed to realize what Keima was thinking about as she blushed and nodded her head.

'Yes, she's... like me, in a way... that's why... I get along with Konoe-san... but we aren't close... we don't share common hobbies.'

'Hobbies?'

This was definitely worth hearing about as it might give the two to them more links to work on, and more things they had in common, the easier it was to build a tangible link or a relationship between the two of them.

'Mmm... Rea... seems to like travel a lot... she likes... to read travel books and about other countries... does that help at all, Katsuragi-san?'

Looking at him hopefully, Shiori smiled when Keima nodded his head. It was another advancement in the story that he was seeing vague sketches about. A girl who kept to herself, a divorced family, travel... it seemed straightforward enough and he thanked Shiori for her help so far.

'Is there anything more you can tell me, Shiori?'

'I don't think... so... I'm sorry, Katsuragi-san.'

Looking a little regretful, Shiori blushed nonetheless when he said that wasn't the case at all.

'You were a great help, Shiori... and there are still a few things that I'll like you to check or arrange for me.'

A plan was forming in his mind but he'll need her help to make it possible. Elsi could help but it would be best if Shiori was involved as well. She was the initial contact person after all and, despite it being hard on Shiori, it would help ease tensions if Keima was introduced as a friend of Shiori, someone who Konoe knew and was familiar with.

'… If... If I can help... I'll do what I can, Katsuragi-san.'

'That would be a big help as there's still one more thing I would like to ask.'

'Hai?'

'Did she mention her family at all? Even once? This is very important... so did she ever mention that to you, even in passing?'

Shiori considered that question and fell silent as she frowned while collecting her thoughts together once again.

'… She did say once... Rea did say... that she wished she could... be more... accepting of her mother... I think so... that's what she said before... when one of the club members mentioned... about their parents.'

'Thank you, that's all that I need for now... what we need to do now is...'

Lowering his voice, Keima spoke of his plan to Shiori and Elsi and after confirming the facts with him, the two of them left Shiori to her duties and headed home together.

There was other information that they needed to find out as well, things that Elsi could help Keima with and he regretted Elsi not being to tag Konoe Rea earlier, that would make monitoring her actions that much easier after all.

'Let's go back, Elsi.'

'Mm!'

* * *

..

Basically all they knew of the situation was that this girl, Konoe Rea probably had quite a strained relationship with her family, both with the mother and the father. It was however, sufficient to give Keima an idea how to approach her.

What he needed was some reason to do so and this time, acting directly and in a head-front approach would not do much good as it would not be the right or best way to approach her.

It was one thing to fill up the gap in her heart, it was another thing altogether if the gap was caused indirectly by 'love'.

Being devoid of love was one thing but it was totally another thing if the gap formed in the heart due to love, well not literally at least. This was perhaps an issue that couldn't be solve just by making Rea fall in love with him . There must be concrete action taken to help ease her worry on this problem, just a kiss wouldn't cut it.

Keima didn't think that this girl was devoid of love as he guessed that she was probably adored or protected by her family. The key question was whether there was _too_ much love involved in the equation for her to be be comfortable with.

She might be stifled by their love... this was his best guess at the current situation with the limited amount of information that he had on hand.

He did, however, find a way to break through to the girl in question and he reassured Elsi that he would capture her as soon as possible.

'In return, I wish to game in peace, Elsi.'

Waving a finger at her before flicking it against her forehead when Elsi didn't response and even looked a little sceptical and he clarified himself.

'I've seen most of the ending, Elsi. This is a straightforward capture, I'm going to come between her and her family.'

'… Why do I feel that Kami-Onii-sama will try to do that again in the future?'

Tilting her head and having a prophecy of Guido Yui's capturing method, Elsi was promptly greeted to Keima narrowing his eyes and going into his lecture mode.

'Listen, every heroine is different and in no circumstances will a capture be identical! It just does not happen whether in the **real** or in my world! If it does, something is wrong. Odds like that, do not happen without a reason.'

Katsuragi Keima pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and explained to Elsi about the capture in more detail.

'Konoe Rea-san is an individual who doesn't like her family yet still looks up to them. She does not like to talk about them as she feels that her family is different from others but at the same time, refuses to acknowledge that. What's more, she does not know what to make or how to get along with them at times. With what I've heard from Shiori, this is my deduction, so Elsi, what do you think so far?'

Addressing Elsi, Keima interrupted her before she could reply by raising a hand in front of her.

'Now look, Elsi. This is merely a preliminary analysis but I'm confident that this is the answer and the ending. After all, if she had no problems or worries, she would not have a Weiss possessing her, am I right?'

Everything had a logical reason if one just looked for it and Keima's declaration garnered a nod from Elsi as a response and he smugly nodded his head confidently.

'From the information that we gathered from first hand sources as well as from Shiori, we can certainly say that her problems are related to her family or at least in the relationship she has with her family.

That is where one might logically think we _should _act_; a_t first glance. But that is exactly what we _should_ avoid at the start. If we did that, she would surely shut us away from her problems and might even cut off all connection or ties with us.

Family problems are issues very close to a person's heart and it is difficult for someone to talk about it openly, much less confide in a stranger. Right now she is tied down by nothing more than her own hands in order to keep the problem to herself, not that I fault her for it... but the end result is having a Weiss possessing her.

The objective is to gain her heart and her trust before even attempting to solve her problem. Thus in order to get her to confide in us, we need to first approach her in another fashion that is not related to her problem at all. Well, at least in a way so that she doesn't think that we are helping her due to pity or due to family in any way. However, we can use the knowledge of her family problems as a leverage to score some points and to create some impression.'

Keima finished his speech and Elsi stared at him in shock for a moment before nodding her head eagerly.

'Mm mm! I learnt lots today, Kami-Onii-sama!'

Yeah, he'd bet... either way, now that Elsi as supportive of his plan, what they need to do is to put his plan into action.

'That said, I don't approve of her entrance and foreshadowing at all. Being introduced by her father... we should NEVER get to see the parents of the heroine! At least not unless there is a wedding scene at the end! What's more... she had to be a friend of another heroine... even if that is acceptable, she seems like one of those Additional characters that were bumped up to Heroine status in the repackaged game for another console...'

* * *

..

'Ah...'

Looking awkwardly at the person pacing in front of the school gates, Konoe Rea took a few steps backwards from her hiding spot before sighing to herself.

Konoe Rea was not famous throughout the school but rather she was infamous in her own class for being a loner that could be compared with Kujyo Tsukiyo and it was something that she couldn't help, considering the state of her family.

With black hair the length of her back, one could mistake her Kasuga Kusonoki if she was not built thinner nor endowed only modestly. Even more obvious from a closer look was that she had incredibly delicate features that was vastly different from Kusonoki and was instead found on girls like Tsukiyo.

With her hair cut into bangs that covered half her eyes, Rea would be easily mistaken as an introverted person but that was not the case as she was willing to socialize if approached. That said, her hair was somewhat of a chore to her and she would alternate hair style from ponytails, twin tails to perms and straight hair depending on her mood.

All in all, she was a complex girl that was mostly misunderstood by her own classmates and peers due to her mood swings and neutral approach to life.

..

Well, it's not that Rea didn't want to see her father, it's... just a bad time for her now and if she could, she would rather meet him after this problem was resolved.

'… What should I do?'

Clutching her book close to her chest, Konoe Rea jumped when she bumped into someone behind her and she whirled around to see a glasses wearing boy looking back at her. No, not looking at her, she was looking way as though embarrassed before he spoke softly.

'I'm sorry.'

'I'm sorry?'

Replying back in confusion, Rea tilted her head to the side as she did not understand why he was apologizing to her. Did he do something to hurt her in the past? Or was this an advanced apology for what he was going to do to her?

Thinking that, Rea raised her book in front of her in fear only to lower it again as he continued speaking.

'… My sister was the one who wanted to help your father find you. If I've known that you didn't want to see him at all...'

His voice trailed off and he looked even more apologetic, causing Rea to shake her head in reply.

'No... it's not that at all! Well, I don't want to see him right now... but I'm still glad that I'm able to meet him. So, there's no need to apologize... erm...'

'Katsuragi.'

'Katsuragi-san... desu ka?'

She was familiar with the name as it was someone that Shiomiya Shiori, one of the few library club members that she got along with, raised often in private. Shiori seemed to have a very high opinion of him and perhaps more than a simple crush on him as she spoke fondly of him a few times in her presence. As Shiori was someone who rarely, if ever mentioned someone else, she paid attention when she spoke about this person.

It was her first meeting with this Katsuragi in person and although he didn't match up to Shiori's perfect image, he was at least presentable, polite and the way he scratched his head and stuttered while apologizing was kinda cute to her.

'Yes, I am Katsuragi, what's the matter?'

Looking a little confused at her response, Rea shook her head and said that she was just talking to herself, causing Keima to tilt his head in response.

'Katsuragi-san, you don't need to apologize at all. You and your sister did the right thing. If you didn't tell me about father... I would never have met him at all! ...We've been separated for some time you see. So it's nice to...meet him again after so long.'

..

Keima knew that he had scored a crucial milestone in their relationship as Rea willingly offered information about her family to him all the while shooting glances at her father in the distance.

She was still torn between something that she was hiding and she started when Keima offered to help her avoid her father today, taking care not to mention anything about making amends by acting as though he was hitting on her.

'R-Really? You would do that?''

Looking happy at the prospect, Rea nodded her head as it offered her a chance to escape from the current situation, at least temporarily. She acknowledged the fact that she would have to face her father sooner or later but for now, later sounds good enough.

'If you'll allow me to, that is, Hime-sama.'

Offering a hand to her, the **Capturing God** took Rea's hands in his confidently before leading her back to the main school compound.

'Normally I'd offer to guide you to the back gate, but I'd imagine that you thought of that before. So we're going to get you out via a secret exit that I discovered by accident. You wouldn't mind keeping that place a secret, would you?'

Winking at Rea, Keima led her towards the eastern part of the school and the wall surrounding the compound as the curious girl asked where they were going.

'There's a particular spot in the wall where there's an opening. I'll help you get out of the school there. Don't worry, I've used it a few times before as it's closer to the main streets from it.'

His words made Rea feel a little complicated, on one hand she was curious about where that place was and on the other hand she was concerned about her own personal safety.

He being Shiori's friend aside, she has no idea how this guy was like... what if he was planning something bad?

'Here we are.'

Before her imagination could get the better of her, they had arrived at the location of the secret exit that he was talking about. It didn't look too special but the boy was pulling and setting up a ladder against the wall for her even as she looked around.

'Here you go, Hime-sama.'

Keima said so with a bow, Rea blushed as she climbed up the ladder to peek through the opening in the fence and she gave a sigh of relief as it was located near an inconspicuous street that lead to the school and only the school. As school ended a while ago, there was no one as far as she could see and Rea thanked him for his help while sitting on the edge of the hole in the wall.

Keima looked at her in concern before warning her.

'There's a foot hold below the ledge somewhere, please be careful. It might be a little high for you so brace yourself.'

Rea noticed too late that she had forgotten to press down her skirt when she was climbing up the ladder and she shot a dirty look at the confused boy that was now below her.

'?'

'Y-you... didn't peek, did you?'

To her amusement and relief, the boy blushed and shook his head.

'That's fine then... thank you, Katsuragi-san.'

Nodding to him, Rea paused when Keima remarked that he'll inform her father that she had left earlier today.

'If not, he'll continue to wait for you, wouldn't he?'

It was true and Rea nodded her head while clapping her hands together in apology.

'Gome ne... for going out of the way for me.'

She flashed a small thankful smile at him before dropping out of sight, leaving the boy standing there by himself.

'So it begins, just like how I plan it to be.'

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: As this is my first time with an OC, be fierce and gentle with me and DROP A REVIEW~**


	3. Help

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 3: Help**

**..  
**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: I apologize for the error on the earlier chapter, I fixed it and well, I got chewed out by my beta.. Thank you, _AAAkira and Wolf's Honor_ for taking their time to go through this!**

* * *

**..  
**

'Kami Onii-sama, how did it go?'

Elsi asked him as he retreated back to the school compound, Keima pressed a finger on his lips and shooed her away before heading to the school entrance to do what he had promised.

'Good afternoon, Sanka-san... desu ka?'

Looking apologetic, he greeted the older man who blinked in confusion at him before his eyes brightened in recognition and he greeted him as well. He was dressed in the same clothes as yesterday, an off-coloured jacket together with greying pants that hinted that he wasn't quite used to dressing so formally, or perhaps was quite poor. It was hard to decide which as Keima had the nagging suspicion the students in Class 2-A were generally fairly well off, so why was he dressed like that?

'Ah, you're the boy who was hanging around that girl, Katsuragi was it? Where is she? I would like to thank her again for helping me to find my daughter.'

The ban bowed deeply, which Keima briskly returned before telling him about the situation with Konoe Rea.

'Konoe-san left earlier today, she said she wasn't feeling too well.'

Scratching his head, Keima watched as the man's shoulders slumped down in disappointment while sighing in reply.

'Well if she left school already, I suppose I'll head back. Did she seem well? Was she really sick?'

'Erm...'

As he started getting pestered with questions, Keima had the decency to look awkward but it wasn't enough to save him as the other party suddenly raised an eyebrow in surprise.

'Hey... how did you know about Rea? Did she tell you that herself? Who are you anyway... what is your relationship with my daughter?'

He wasn't mad or accusing him just yet, but he was certainly concerned about the relationship he had with her precious daughter. For Keima, he was just happy that he wasn't being interrogated by him more forcefully .

'My sister relayed the message to me for me to tell you as she might be running late.'

'Your... sister?'

'Yes, I'm Katsuragi Keima, Katsuragi Elsi's brother.'

'Ah, I see...'

Awkward silence passed between them as he must have realized he looked silly pressuring him like that before he rallied and thanked him for relaying the message to him.

'Thank you for going out of your way, Katsuragi.'

'That's no problem at all.'

Bowing to him, Keima was about to take his leave before he stopped when he heard Elsi call him from behind. His goal right now was to appear as a presentable or at least decent looking young man in front of him. If need be he would need Sanka-san's assistance in getting close to Rea after all.

'Kami-Onii-sama! Wait for me! Oh- Sanka-san... good afternoon.'

Greeting the man as well, Elsi exchanged a few pleasantries with him before she joined Keima to head back together, leaving Rea's father behind them.

..

'So did it go well, Kami-Onii-sama?'

'Yes, I've created an impression of myself for the two of them.'

'Is it a good one?'

'Who knows... the important thing is that he did form an impression of me. That is all that we can do for now without seeming too suspicious. Despite our connection with her, courtesy of Shiori, the relationship might be a little strained at the start due to her friendship with her as well. I fear... that it itself might have affected our chances a little.'

Rubbing his chin as he considered the implications from Rea's response, Keima blinked when he received a message from an unknown number soon after.

'It's from her.'

'Rea-san desu ka? Did you give her your number, Kami-Onii-sama?'

'No, I did not. I guess having a relationship with Shiori is showing its effects.. but at such an early stage, it might be a good sign. It's much easier to trust a person when he's a friend of a friend as compared to a total stranger.'

It was just a standard mail with a standard content thanking him for his help but a moment later he received one from Shiori as well, detailing how she had asked for his mail address and whether it was okay to provide her with it at all.

From the content of Shiori's mail, Keima could tell that she had taken some time to consider before penning it down and he replied to her quickly to say that it was fine and a good thing.

He did however consider his reply to Rea for quite a while before deciding that it'll be better if he did not reply her at all.

Helping her out was supposed to be a way of 'redemption' for getting Rea into trouble after all and if his reply didn't match along with that idea, it would ruin the impression she had of him or at least change her perception of him.

If he was labelled as a guy who helped out to hit on her, it wouldn't do and he wanted to create the impression that he was someone who wanted to make amends for what he has done to her.

'We're progressing, Elsi, be patient.'

He commented to her before going back to his game, enjoying the moment till he would have to meet her again the next day.

* * *

..

'Do you think Konoe-san's father would wait for her tomorrow as well?'

Elsi asked abruptly during dinner and despite Mari looking at her in confusion, Keima replied nonchalantly while digging in and gaming at the same time.

'It is to be expected that he will do so, there must be several underlying reasons making it difficult for him to visit her daughter in any other places if he has to stake out the school every day just to meet her.

We can rule out the fact that he doesn't know where she is staying now as they had met the day before, right? So it's acceptable to say that either Konoe-san doesn't wish to meet him, which is certainly possible, or that he is unable to meet her in any other location but the school. The sooner that we know the situation she was in, the sooner we can get to the crux of the problem. Still, if we do not have the situation from her mother's point of view as well, it's easy to make assumptions and to make wrong judgements.'

Contemplating and explaining the complexity of the situation to Elsi, Keima was pulled from his analysis from Mari, who asked what they were talking about.

'It's not good to pry in another family's problem, Keima-kun, Elsi-chan.'

Keima was relieved that Mari was taking the issue in her stride while nodding sagely to himself and he supposed that after meeting and knowing some of the girls revolving around his life, Mari had gotten new hope that Keima would improve and change his lifestyle.

Even if he himself would never do that, it was fine for her mother to hope and Keima let sleeping dogs lie by keeping quiet and letting her continue to think that.

It was Elsi's fault anyway for raising this issue over dinner abruptly like that and he threw the ball over to Elsi's court by saying that it was Elsi's fault in the first place getting them involved..

'If you hadn't gotten involved, we wouldn't have to worry about it in the first place, Elsi.'

Smirking as he watched Mari asked her about her problem, Keima went back to dinner while opening the mail that Rea sent to him.

..

_[To Katsuragi-san, I would like to thank you for giving me a hand today. I really appreciate the gesture and if I could, I would like to return the gesture back to you in the future. Thank you for reading this – Rea]_

..

It seemed odd to him that despite how formal she was in writing the message, she would sign off the message simply with just her name and left out her family's name. Well, perhaps he was just over-thinking the situation and making it more complex. It was however something that he should still consider though as small details might make all the difference in a capturing route.

However, if it really was something significant, that would mean that Rea really disliked her family and did not wish to be associated with it at all.

Or perhaps she just did not know where her true alliances lied. Was it with her father or her mother? It might be a tug of war between the two families after all.

'So where does she fit in all this?'

He asked softly to himself while finishing dinner.

* * *

..

'Ah, Katsuragi-san... good afternoon.'

Smiling shyly as she greeted him, Shiomiya Shiori pulled out a book from a drawer before handing it to him as he came over to the receptionist counter in the library.

'Good afternoon, Shiori. Thank you for reserving this book for me.'

Taking the book and thanking her, Keima exchanged a few more words with Shiori, mostly about how Elsi was and what he had been reading these past few days, you know, small talk.

'There's this... new novelization of a game coming out soon... Katsuragi-san, have you... heard about it?'

'Yes, you mean the one that was being pushed out and written by Nitro+. I've played through the game before and I was impressed by what I saw. The plot is engaging and new, so it will be a good read. I am in no hurry to pick it up though, the original medium is mostly superior.'

Nodding in reply as he crossed his arms haughtily, Keima winked at Shiori who shook her head and seemed adamant to prove her own point despite being a little overwhelmed by him.

'That's not true at all... Katsuragi-san. You may be... surprised by it in the end... I'll try... to get the school to bring it in too, so... do read it when... it comes in.'

'I'll buy it myself if it's that good, Shiori, but you're counting your chickens before they are hatched. Well, I need to go now.'

Waving a hand as he left the counter, Shiori smiled to herself even as someone else popped up from a corner to speak with her.

..

'Shiori, is that... Katsuragi? _The_ Katsuragi-san you mentioned before?'

Konoe Rea, who had been looking on at the interaction between the two of them, took liberty to jump straight into the conversation even as Shiori jumped a little at her question. It wasn't right for her to eavesdrop but she couldn't help herself seeing the two of them together for the first time. She admitted that she had been curious before but her curiosity had grown bigger after meeting him for the first time yesterday.

Watching as Shiori placed her book down before nodding her head carefully, Rea realized that she seemed a little cautious in sharing that information with her.

'… Yes... he is... is there something wrong, Rea?'

Looking at her sceptically, almost protectively even, Shiori's eyes softened when Rea said that she was surprised to see her getting along so well with a boy.

'You two seem to be good friends, Shiori.'

Watching her friend blush, Rea smiled as she congratulated her in finding such a nice person and one that could understand her.

'Congratulations, Shiori.'

'W-What are you... congratulating... me for? We're... just friends... after all.'

A lame and standard excuse if she ever saw one and Rea teased her friend a little while they did their duties together.

'He's quite cute you know... and he likes books too... so it's a perfect match for Shiori, right?'

'N-No... well... I... Katsuragi-san... is just... someone that likes books... that's all.'

Shiori was shocked into confusion by Rea and she was unable to give a coherent reply till Rea remarked that she had met him before.

'You... did?'

It was perhaps the wrong thing to say as Shiori's eyes narrowed a little while looking at her.

'Ahaha... I did.. he did me a favor yesterday, he's a nice person, Shiori.'

Nodding in agreement, Shiori didn't seem to want to talk about the situation with Rea any longer as she fell silent, trying to focus on her book as she fidgeted a little and Rea wondered if she was jealous of her?

Surely not... right?

'… Shiori...?'

'… Yes?'

Looking up from her book, Rea's words were stuck in her throat as she saw Shiori looking at her with an expression she didn't see before and she shook her head in reply, afraid that whatever she say would just make the situation worse.

'No, it's nothing... I'm sorry...'

'… You're sorry... for?'

Shiori wanted to ask but Rea excused herself as she didn't want to make things more awkward with Shiori by saying anything that would be misunderstood by her. It was obvious to her that there was something going on between the two of them. She wasn't going to be the third party after all...

'… You're acting odd, Konoe-san...'

Shiori was mad after all as it had been ages since she had called her so formally and Rea could only smile back in reply, timidly looking away while thinking about that person, Katsuragi...

* * *

..

'So is it working now, Kami-Onii-sama?'

'Shush, you're distracting me...'

Reading the book that he had picked up from Shiori earlier, Keima ignored Elsi who was hovering over him, trying to get him to explain his plan to her. Although Elsi knew of the plan, with Keima taking time to explain what his actions were trying to accomplish, he knew that Elsi had difficulty wrapping her mind around the entire capturing plan.

Well, he didn't expect any more from Elsi anyway but the girl that was seated beside him certainly was expected to do understand.

Fuse Aoba, the **Mai-Hime** and the student of the **Capturing God** explained to Elsi that all things considering, Shiori's actions were inspired and was of great help in creating more events with him.

'There are two purposes for showing that the **Capturing God** is an attractive and eligible person for her friend. One of them is to ensure and assure her that his reputation is better or at least equal to what Shiori had been saying he is like. The second is to increase the mystery surrounding this person, especially if he was someone that her friend would get upset about if they were to get close to him. Isn't that right, Shiomiya?'

Nodding to Shiori, who was hiding her face behind her book in shame, Aoba shook her head as she reached out to caress her hair, petting her and reassuring her that it was fine.

'You reacted naturally, which you should, Shiomiya. You were not lying to her and your actions were genuine, no one will fault you for that, less of all the **Capturing God**. In fact, he should be the one embarrassed if he had to rope you in to help him to capture a girl.'

A little miffed at Keima for asking Shiori to do something so unreasonable as to set up her friend with him, Aoba wasn't appeased when Shiori said that it was okay and that she wanted to do so to help him.

'That's probably the worst reason anyone can give... you should be ashamed of yourself, Katsuragi Keima.'

Narrowing her eyes at him, Aoba made no effort to hide that her respect for him had dropped a little after hearing about the situation from Shiori.

The two of them had become great friends since they remembered their memories of their captured periods and they formed one trio of the Captured girls that liked to hang around together, the last member of the trio being Yoshino Asami, another quiet girl that was good friends with Shiori and who was currently doing her best to keep up her role of a 'girl-next-door' for Keima.

The rumours surrounding Keima with the rest of the girls had been dispelled or modified by Haqua and Elsi, members of the Weiss Capturing Squad and now it seemed totally normal to have the Otamegane have lunch with those girls.

It's a mystery how it could be done but as they said: Habits are really scary, once one got used to seeing something as the norm, no one would question it.

..

'I did not ask her to do that. You saw her reaction, Fuse; it was her own response that led to this Three-way Triangle, the Delta Force of Love. Right now, I'm still considering whether I should still maintain it. Even if it's a staple, it may result in... extra work for us. If need be... we may need to dismantle the triangle first.'

This was a term that made everyone else confused with the exception of Aoba, who simply nodded in understanding.

'Ano... Keima-san... you should finish lunch, please...'

Yoshino Asami and the last girl that was having lunch with them looked a little embarrassed as she pointed at the bento that she had prepared for him.

'I will.'

Keima swallowed under the formidable gaze of Aoba and he dug in slowly while contemplating the situation. While it was true that the Delta Force of Love might be useful in most scenarios, in this it was indeed a little trickier to navigate across. Basically the delta-force is normally used to ensure that one particular person was easier to capture than the others by trying to making headway with them and trying to overcome their rage or jealousy. In this scenario, it wouldn't be appropriate as Shiori came up as the person who was jealous of Rea.

'… Though I feel that Shiori's actions at the last part were... unwarranted, I apologize for making you to appear in that way to Konoe Rea. I should have taken your feelings into consideration, Shiori. For that, I apologize.'

It was an honest apology from him and Shiori blushed harder, if that was even possible as she almost fainted dead away when Keima held her hands to show his sincerity.

Only Fuse Aoba wasn't totally fooled but she let this one drop as Shiori seemed too happy for words at being treated like that.

'Just do not do that again, Katsuragi Keima. If need be, I can lend you my expertise towards this situation.'

Aoba offered but was turned down by Keima who said it was too dangerous for them to get involved.

'… Will you continue to use that excuse in the future, Katsuragi... no, **Capturing God**.'

Aoba asked tersely while the other girls watched the two of them go head to head. It was common knowledge that the only person who could deal with Keima on a daily basis without losing her temper and still be successful was Fuse Aoba and they wondered who would emerge as the winner of this current mental bout.

For the record, Fuse had been winning every single one if the girls backed her up on it but if she went against it alone, Keima had been the one who had stared her straight down.

This time was no exception as he pushed his glasses up in reply.

'Till I can determine and ensure all of your safety, I will not involved anyone of you directly again... but I might consult you on a few points, Aoba, you can count on that.'

A concession but still a victory for Keima as Aoba backed down after seeing the grim look in his eyes.

'I accept.'

'Now, it's time for the next step... I apologize, Shiori... but it seems your role in this isn't yet over.'

Keima turned to the quiet librarian who looked shocked before pointing gingerly at herself in confusion.

'Yes... this may be a little painful... but I'll make it up for you, I promise.'

'… H-hai...?'

* * *

**Author's Notes: It's depressing to see how Sorrel's Teasing is so.. unliked? Anyway, I'm focusing on MW's for a while but AZ is still going on as usual. R&R people!**


	4. Exit

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 4: Help**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: This chapter was brought to you with the help of _Wolf's Honor and AAAkira_. Thank you for your edits!**

* * *

**..  
**

'Basically, everything must be established properly beforehand. It might be a little cruel to Shiori to play such a character but as the Delta-Force of Love has been established, we have to demolish it where it started.'

'You're not making sense, Kami-Onii-sama...'

Tagging along as the two of them headed back to the classroom after the strategic conference that they had together with Fuse and the other girls, Keima had refined and polished his capturing blueprint of Konoe Rea. Promising Shiori a reward if she would continue to help out, Keima's task right now was to prepare a script for Shiori to follow to move the event forward.

Shiori being the person in contact was a stroke of luck as well as a double edged sword for the capturing route ahead.

With her help, they were able to go from 'stranger' to 'associates' in the blink of an eye and that makes things much easier for Keima if he wished to get close to her.

As a rule, unless the heroine had approached the hero, they were considered strangers and as such 'events' and 'scenes' would never materialize if they continue to be in such a relationship.

Normally Keima would take the initiative and choose the 'impression' that they had of him to forcibly turn their relationship into one of an 'associate', completely skipping the status of a 'stranger' altogether and up till now, it had worked to perfection.

All of the girls who were not known to him were successfully approached and 'captured' in that way.

This time however, the capture had started off with a third-person view point, he was the brother of the person who had found her father for her. That was the impression that had been created of him and as it was weak, terribly weak even. Keima had to take the first step to boost the 'impression' from a random stranger to a person who helped her out of a jam.

That was the first step and it had gone off in terrific fashion.

..

The second step was to increase his stock value with Shiori's help but due to Shiori, who had her own opinion of her relationship with Keima, it had developed into the Delta-Force of love, the love triangle between she, Rea and him.

'No matter what happens and what Shiori does, Rea's actions will be restricted by her presence till the triangle is broken. It's my fault for miscalculating and not briefing Shiori about the situation further... well, I reap what I sow... now is not the time to be crying over spilt milk.'

This situation would not have developed if one party was not conscious of the other party's affection for the person but in this case, all three parties knew for a fact that there was a love triangle going on.

'So what do we have to do?'

'We do nothing... Shiori will be the one to act in our stead. We... could make the first move but I... do not wish to hurt and burden Shiori further for her lack of composure...'

Balancing the special friendship or relationship that he had shared with the _Captured Girls _was extremely difficult but it beats the alternative of running away from them or having their memory modified again. Who knew what would happen if their memory modification would be undone again and once again leaving him at their mercy.

It was an uneasy understanding between the girls and him that he had a duty to do that was more important than any one of them and after it was accomplished, he would have to give a definite answer to all of them or one of them.

Helping him out wasn't part of the deal however but Keima considered that something of a bonus for him as well as a burden, as what Shiori had demonstrated.

'I should not have held back what I am planning to do from Shiori, I never knew that she would have displayed signs of jealousy. Well, I suppose that Shiori is nothing short of transparent when it comes to matters like this...'

He should have expected that, after his 'recapture' of all of them, they had gotten more open with their feelings and made no secret of their affection for him. God only knows how all of them could get away with keeping that a secret till now, it might even be the worst kept secret of the entire school but it was still a secret nonetheless... at least till he reacted correspondingly.

Being the **Capturing God** and the protagonist of this story he was also the most clueless boy of the entire school, something that had been thoughtfully thought up by Fuse Aoba.

'I won't make the mistake ever again... especially if the price for making such a mistake is steep. Revising the script isn't that hard... it's the implications it will have on Shiori...'

He'll have to bring Shiori out again, something that he didn't dread but didn't particularly enjoy either... who knew what she'll want to re-enact this time.

'We'll be the audience this time, Elsi, let Shiori take centre stage...with the play that I've decided upon.'

Pushing his glasses up, the **Capturing God** worked on the script while Elsi nodded in confidence, knowing that whatever he did, there was a reason for it.

* * *

..

_Did she have to keep avoiding her father like this every day? It seemed like that way and Rea sighed while keeping her books in her bag. She managed to escape the day before due to the help of that boy..._

_'Katsuragi... desu ka?'_

_He had seemed like a decent guy and from Shiori's reaction, she really liked him. Being so conscious and mindful of a guy was not what she usually did and it made her feel bad for Shiori._

_It really wasn't fair for her either; she hadn't had much contact with boys due to how she liked to keep to herself as well as her tight family schedule._

_She wasn't able to hang out with her friends and bit by bit she had gotten isolated in class. No one wanted to ask her out as they knew that she'll decline and even if she had friends in class, they would rather speak with someone else than her._

_She was... not isolated and yet alone, a terrible feeling that she couldn't quite shake off even if she wanted to say that it was fine._

_'It isn't... fine at all.'_

_Rea told herself crossly before slinging her bag behind her and making a move, if she set off earlier perhaps she could leave the school before her father saw her._

_But alas it wasn't to be and Rea caught sight of her father hanging out at the gate once again from the windows overlooking the school gate and Rea sighed in disappointment._

_She didn't dislike her father, in fact she was very happy to meet him after so many years. Receiving emails from him occasionally wasn't enough to keep up a proper father-daughter relationship after all and if he had come by a little earlier, just a little earlier, it wouldn't have ended up in this predicament._

_Why must everything be so... complicated? She just wanted to have a normal life , was it really so hard?_

_Well... everything's relative after all and Rea reflected on that for a moment before moving off in the direction of the back gate._

_It couldn't be helped, she'll have to take the long way home after all..._

..

_'Ah...?'_

_Hurrying down the corridor to the other wing of the school, Rea stopped when she saw two familiar faces sitting on the benches near the library._

_'Isn't... that?'_

_They had chosen quite a secluded spot that was barely in the view of most people and Rea would have missed it if not for Keima picking up something for Shiori, letting the two of them be in view of her for just a few seconds._

_'I wonder what they were doing there...'_

_Rea asked herself before hurrying along her way to the back gate, leaving the two love birds behind._

_'It'll be fine. Shiori is a nice girl... she and Katsuragi would make a good match together.'_

_Commenting to herself, Rea didn't stop to ask why her mind had suddenly been occupied by imagining the two of them together. Was she so concerned about the thought of the two of them being together before she realized it?_

_That's... odd, it really was odd. Why... wasn't she thinking about herself first?_

..

_'Hmm?'_

_As she climbed down the last flight of stairs that would bring her to the back gate, Rea heard footsteps behind her, fast approaching footsteps and she quickly moved to the side to allow the person to past unimpeded. It wouldn't do for her to crash into someone by accident after all and Rea allowed the person to pass._

_What she didn't expect to see was her friend, Shiomiya Shiori, running away from her as fast as her legs could carry her. She wasn't even holding onto a book right now, a sign of her distress and was she imagining things when she saw tears running down her cheeks as she ran past her?_

_'S-Shiori?'_

_Rea was about to hold her back but it was too late, Shiori was gone before she could even squeeze the words out of her mouth and Rea stood there for a few seconds before reality hit her like a truck._

_'W-What was that about? Was...'_

_Shiori crying? What happened? Well, she could probably imagine a few scenarios and from what she had seen earlier, it had to have something to do about Katsuragi._

_Had he hurt her in some way? Or did he do something indecent to Shiori and had made her cry? What, what? What had happened?_

_'… Shiori.'_

_Shiori was a friend of hers, a good friend but not a... very special one. Her curiosity about the situation made Rea even more confused about this than before and she pressed a finger on her forehead to try and calm down and to concentrate._

_'… I'll just ask Shiori about it tomorrow...'_

_Rea decided after a moment of contemplation and would have left the school if not for someone calling out her name behind her._

_'R-Rea?'_

_Turning back, she saw the person that she really didn't want to meet right now. Katsuragi-san and what's more, he had called her by her name and without realizing it, Rea blushed before recovering as soon as she saw how awkward he seemed._

_'K-Konoe-san... …'_

_Fidgeting as he scratched his head awkwardly while walking towards her, Katsuragi-san seemed really nervous and Rea noted that he was carrying a book in his hand too. Rea narrowed her eyes when she saw him hide the book suddenly as he noticed her staring at it. He was definitely hiding something from her and she was determined to find out what._

_'Katsuragi...san... is there something wrong? Did you call me?'_

_Her words seemed cold even to her and she felt a little bad as he jumped and looked away guiltily, as far as she could read him of course._

_'… You're the last person... I want to meet now...'_

_'Pardon me?'_

_Blinking in confusion as he spoke so softly that Rea couldn't make out what he was saying, Rea wanted to press her advantage on the flustered boy who shook his head in denial._

_'What is it, Katsuragi-san?'_

_'A-Ano, did you see Shiori?'_

_'Shiori...?'_

_So he did chase after Shiori all the way here... whatever happened to her friend, he was the culprit and Rea crossed her arms while scrutinizing him, something he was bound to notice as he took a few step forward towards her, or at least she thought it was towards her as he brushed passed him and went on his way, in the direction that Shiori ran away in._

_'She went this way, didn't she...'_

_His voice was firm and unshakable and Rea felt her heartbeat for a second as she caught a glimpse of those eyes, narrowed in determination as he ran off as well._

_'I'm sorry, Shiori...'_

_She could make that out clearly as he ran off, with her watching in the distance for quite a while before she recovered and cupped her own face in embarrassment._

_'W-What... was that about?'_

_Rea asked herself as she sat down on the stairs overlooking the back gate, all thoughts about her family gone away with the wind, her mind replaying the events that had happened around her without her knowing._

* * *

..

'You did magnificently, Shiori.'

Showering praise on the timid girl that was drinking down a cup of tea that he had prepared himself, Keima didn't miss the look of melancholy on her eyes for a moment before she smiled awkwardly back in response.

'T-Thank... you...Katsuragi-san...'

Raising her head and taking several deep breaths to overcome the nervousness of being with him as well as taken a flight together with Elsi, Shiori replied while Keima looked at her closely.

She wasn't fine, she would not be fine after doing that to her friend. It was painful for anyone to lie to a friend but for Shiori, Keima knew that it was one of her worse fears too and in order to calm her down, Keima reached out to pet her head as if she would do a kitten.

'Calm down, Shiori... It... it wasn't real... it was just an act... so calm down. I'm here now...'

Trying to make her relax, Keima's eyes softened and he gave her a great concession by allowing her to hold his hand as well as she shivered unhappily beside him.

She was crying for real. Well she must have really thought he was rejecting her and Keima fought the urge to sigh and instead focused on being as stoic as possible to help her through this difficult but important period.

If Shiori was to react like that when... the eventual answer was given by him, it would be difficult for everyone and Keima gave her all the time she needed to calm down and to gather herself together again.

It was like he said earlier, it had gone off magnificently and much better than he had expected.

The impression that she had of Katsuragi Keima was taking over in her mind and it would be difficult for her not to remember him after such an incident together with her friend.

Sure, it might not be the best of impressions but he could see that his earlier impression had showed itself when she could recognize him.

It was progressing quite smoothly and in a few days, he'll have 'captured' her for real.

Well, it might be difficult for Shiori to accept that though.

..

'Again, I have to apologize... it may seem like betrayal... especially to you, Shiori... it is as what Fuse said... something unreasonable.'

Keima had to stress that part and Shiori mumbled that it really felt like it.

'… it's...painful... Katsuragi...san. To hear you... saying that.'

It was the truth though, the painful and unpackaged harsh truth that Keima had to tell Shiori. The plan right now was for Shiori to withdraw from the competition willingly.

A love triangle would only work when three people was in the running for it and if a person withdraws, the triangle collapses. There were other factors that might influence the now reinforced pairing but in general, it's much easier to manage due to the lack of noise from everyone around. Especially if the other party severs all ties that might affect and even influence the new pairing in some way.

There's no prize for guessing what had happened earlier, the script called for Shiori to confess to Keima and for him to reject her, the best scenario would be for Rea to witness that first hand but even without doing so, they had achieved their goal.

'You can hate me if you wish... for I'm just using you to help out without even considering your feelings..'

'You... did, Katsuragi... san.'

Her words surprised him and he stared at her in shock as Shiori considered her own words before looking up to stare at his eyes quietly but confidently as well.

'… Katsuragi... san... you... choose... the least painful path... for me too.'

'…Shiori?'

'I've... read all the books in the library... o-out of... all of them... 40%... is about romance... and there... are 15% with... the similar... development in... some way... Katsuragi-san... picked... the least painful... one for me. I... I should... thank you...'

Smiling as she snuggled closer to him, Shiori closed her eyes as she reflected upon what had happened earlier.

* * *

..

_'Is Rea coming?'_

_Keima spoke softly so that only the two of them could hear and he looked down to see Shiori still reading the script while holding his hand. It was something that Asami and Aoba had been violently objecting about but Shiori had agreed to helping him out with this immediately after he told them of his plan._

_It had sounded fantastic but it was clique too and Shiori realized that it was the simplest and most elegant solution out of the predicament after pondering about it for a while._

_It was no doubt her fault that this happened in the first place, if she had not gotten so jealous.. or rather if she had been able to keep a cool front like what Aoba-chan could manage, it wouldn't have ended up like this._

_It was true that she would have to help give Rea-chan a push in the general direction but for her to act this out... it was really heartbreaking, especially if she was... going to confess to him, only to be rejected._

_Looking back at the stories that she had read, it was a common occurrence, one of the most common with another scenario equalling in it's number of occurrence. In this case, she was not the female protagonist and was just someone included in the story to pull the protagonists together. The other scenario would be her being told that Keima didn't like her after all after he accepted her confession and declaring to her that her friend, Rea, was the girl that she liked._

_The latter was more painful and this was a gift from Keima, to lessen the pain that she might feel from this script that Keima had prepared, whereas she would offer help to Keima to get him closer to Rea._

_By choosing this scenario over the others, Katsuragi-san was giving Shiori the opportunity to confess to him while at the same time helping her friend Rea at the same time._

_It was... the easiest and perhaps best scenario for her and not for Rea. Katsuragi Keima... considered even her while he was making a capture... and it made Shiori blush red in knowing that._

..

_'She's not coming?'_

_Elsi's report made her heart sink a little as she realized she wasn't going to be able to confess to him after all...Not that Shiori felt that she could do so... it was... too embarrassing and she sighed in relief and disappointment before getting up and nodding to Keima._

_'W-Well... then... it's time for... the second act... E-Exit... Shiori.'_

_She mumbled in reply while Keima nodded and looked at her expectantly, praying that she'll follow the script that he had written for her._

_'I'm counting on you, Shiori.'_

_'…. Hai...'_

* * *

_**Author's Notes: I have to clarify that in NO way am I biased to Shiori, I'm only biased to Minami... I'm not helping my case, am I? Anyway, R&R People!**  
_


	5. Discussion

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 5: Discussions**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

..

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you _Wolf's Honour and AAAKira _for the beta edit.**

**DO you guys really hate OCs that much?  
**

* * *

..

It was a bit of a relief to see Shiori so agreeable in rendering assistance for his conquest as he expected there to be some resistance from the girls in letting him 'capture' other girls. Capturing other girls would mean making them fall in love with him and there was no way around this idea at all. He was the **Capturing God** whose sole job was to make girls fall in love with him and in the process fill up the void in their heart with his presence.

Naturally that wasn't the end all be all of course and before he could do that, he has to resolve the problems of the girls and for Shiomiya Shiori, he was able to give her courage to face the world around her, even if it's just a little.

'So... Katsuragi-san... should not be apologetic... I... thank you for m-making it... less painful for me.'

Shiori paused as Keima nodded in acknowledgement to her words. She soon added sadly that it was hard for her to lie to her friend but from what Keima and Elsi had said, it was necessary to help Rea.

'You're... not lying, Shiori... you're helping her.'

'… T-That's just an excuse...'

Shiori adamantly stuck to her own opinion and she was right on that as, if let that slide, anyone could use that excuse to hurt others and get away with it.

Even if the end justified the means, it didn't mean that her little white lie was any better than a real lie.

'… That is true. However, our hands are... tied... that's how fickle fate is.'

It might be unfair to her and to the other girls but Shiori acknowledged that since Keima was tangled into this mess, he had nary a choice in what he could or should do for the girls. Then again... it really wasn't that simple, was it?

In the end, Shiori reasoned and acknowledged that there were many ways for him to solve her problems and Keima had a choice in choosing which one. That meant that Keima had chosen to make her fall in love with him while solving her problem. She pouted a little as her mind finally made that logical conclusion.

'… Katsuragi-san has a choice... you could try... helping Rea while... not making her fall in love with you.'

Keima blinked before smiling at Shiori and even reached out to stroke her hair while he teased her slightly.

'Are you jealous... Shiori?'

Steeling herself, Shiori tried to replicate the calm and annoyed look that Aoba used to use when Keima was trying to wriggle out of a tricky situation. After spending time together with Katsuragi Keima for some time, all of the girls had gotten used to his eccentricity and like Yoshino Asami, the more observant and quiet ones were able to see through some of his thinly-veiled attempts to distract them.

But Shiori failed terribly and she blushed while shaking and then nodding her head.

'O-Of course... I'll be jealous...'

She hated herself for saying that but if anything it was like a reward for Keima to pay attention to her. Curse him and the spell that he had entranced her with, this emotion of love and happiness whenever he spent time with her in private.

That said, if Rea was to see this, the capture of her friend would be ruined immediately with no hope for repair...

Even he couldn't repair a reputation of being a two-timer, could he?

Oh wait, he did just that by successfully appeasing her and all of the other captured girls in just a week.

..

'I can't keep using that excuse...'

'No you can't... not when you will use it again... and again.'

'I agree... so I would like Shiori to recall how it had been before I entered your life. Before the capture, I want to know how you were feeling then. Were there any abnormalities? How did you feel?''

It was a strange question but when Shiori looked back, she recognized something that she should have realized some time ago.

'… It felt... like a huge weight on my chest... It... It wasn't unbearable... but I... I remember it to be something that I... could not shake off... I was uneasy, upset... p-perhaps... that's why I... barricaded myself in the library... as I was... very emotional then.'

Keima nodded as Shiori recounted her feelings around that time. It had been a tough time for her despite nothing happening. Oh... wait, it had been the period where the new media- wing in the library was going to be opened.

'It was the stress of your sanctuary being taken away from you that likely resulted in a Weiss taking residence in your heart, Shiori. A Weiss... is a negative thing, it feeds off negativity... the more one feels discouraged or upset at the situation, the more it is able to feed on your unease. It is a … never ending and repetitive circle that would never stop till the Weiss takes over you. It would be like the problem engulfing you, letting you unable to think of anything but it...'

That was at least what he imagined it to be and from the shocked expression on Shiori's face, telling her what he thought was working.

'I... wouldn't want anyone to be possessed by a Weiss any longer than I have to... that is... the truth. … Now that I told you this, you're involved in this as much as I am, Shiori...'

Sighing softly even as Shiori gave a squeak of surprise, Keima scratched his head while stating that it wasn't his intention to tell her all of this.

'… I guess it just slipped out. You'll have to keep this a secret from everyone else, Shiori. I don't want you to get involved with _them_ because of me... I don't want you to be hurt.'

It was the truth too, Shiori was either a master manipulator or it had happened just because of dumb luck as the **Capturing God** felt obligated to share the truth with her.

That said, Keima was not the **Capturing God** for nothing and he used this opportunity to create a 'shared' secret with Shiori and subsequently got into her good books again.

Yes, he had not explained what Weiss were and from the way he clammed up after that, he wasn't going to share that information with Shiori at all.

Not that she minded though as Shiori's imagination was running wild with the many possibilities of what his words had meant. Shiori nervously nodded her head in agreement with his judgement and 'excuses'.

'… I... wouldn't want... anything bad... to happen to Rea... so... I... I guess, I have no choice... b-but to agree to this.'

Lowering her head, Shiori's mind blanked out when Keima asked her if she would like to confess to him just like the script had called for.

'E-Excuse me?'

* * *

..

'Well done, you playboy... thrash... filth...'

Haqua commented to him after Keima bid farewell to Shiori and for the most part, Keima did not even flinch as Haqua verbally abused him. Even he knew that what she said was the truth but he was nonplussed by his actions.

The end justified the means after all and he would continue to do that if it meant that his final goal of being free of this accursed contract was achieved.

'How could you manipulate them like that... no, how could you say such cheesy lines without even batting an eyelid? You're a horrible person, Katsuragi... you're even worse than the Weiss...'

The only reason that Haqua didn't attack Keima was that he had held up to his end of the bargain and kept the secret of New Hell secret from Shiori and the other girls. The bits and pieces of the story that Haqua and Elsi had fed the girls were not going to hold their curiosity at bay eventually and it would be up to Keima to give them an answer that would satisfy them.

The politically correct answer was the excuse that Keima had given at the start, that his hands were tied by the unknown forces that were Elsi and Haqua but he had to give the whole truth to Shiori to avoid the girls from kicking up a big fuss about his 'capturing' duties.

The benefit of telling the truth was that it was just that, the _truth _and neither Shiori nor the girls had any reason to question him when the time for him to tell them this came.

'It would be easier if we did not have to deal with this situation in the first place but I guess New Hell has their limits.'

'Well... sorry about that...we're still adjusting to power cuts... so that's why... anyway, Katsuragi... you have to hurry and catch this Weiss before Shiori makes a fuss again. I don't think your charm can hold her off much longer at this rate.

'… Do you think Shiori would intervene... I notice that you are quite close to her to call her so fondly, Haqua.'

As Keima closed one eye, Haqua jumped when she was confronted by Keima regarding that point. She admitted that she had been spending time with the girls whenever she was free.

'Well, I want to know why those girls got captured by you... I want to know exactly why and how those girls even managed to fall in love with you in the first place... seeing you're the worst person that ever lived.'

Haqua didn't stop abusing him even after they left the main street and she tagged along with him as he made his way back home.

The capturing of Konoe Rea was done for today, what's important right now was to focus on tomorrow's capture attempt for it would be the defining moment where the real capturing begins.

'Insults aside, why are you following me, Haqua? Where's Elsi...'

Raising an eyebrow as Haqua looked away awkwardly, Keima pressed his advantage and asked her again.

'Haqua?'

'… Elsi... went out with Aoba and Asami to distract them, or did you forget? They weren't happy about your plan... and she was trying to persuade them to allow Shiori to do what you asked her to.'

'Ah right... I'd have thought that she would have persuaded them by now...'

'… Erm... she did... but she went out with them anyway... Ahaha. So I'm here to stand in for her... I-It's not like I wanted to help out or anything!'

Showing the tsundere side of her to him, Haqua paled when Keima stopped and seemed to be considering something. Nothing good had ever came out of him when he was planning something and when he turned to study Haqua, she found herself trying to cover herself up with her hands before she realized it.

'W-What is it? What do you want?'

'Since you're standing in for Elsi, you wouldn't mind helping me for a while, would you? There's something that I would like to check...'

'A-Ah... s-sure, I guess... I don't mind. It has to do with the capture, right?'

'Right... it's best to look at two sides of the story before we commit to a particular capturing method. I'd ask Elsi, but it's best if you helped me out now.'

* * *

..

_'… I wonder what happened to them.'_

_It had been shocking to see Shiori crying like that and although Rea considered calling her to ask her what was wrong, that would mean exposing the fact that she had seen her in that state._

_Rea was a girl too and she knew that a girl's image meant a lot to them. If Shiori knew that Rea had seen her crying, she might get more emotional than ever._

_But her curiosity only got stronger upon seeing Katsuragi chasing after her. Had they made up? Or had he accepted Shiori's confession?_

_It was a confession right? It had to be a confession or else Shiori wouldn't be crying. Why did he reject her? Did Shiori do something wrong? What did Shiori say? What did he say?_

_There were so many questions that Rea couldn't focus on anything at all after returning home. She had gotten an earful after coming home late but her mother had relented after she said that she was late because she had wanted to avoid her father._

_'That's a good girl, Rea... you shouldn't even call that scumbag father any longer.'_

_'… B-But I want to, he is my father after all, mother.'_

_Her mother had refused to speak more about the issue and Rea had retreated to her own room for fear of a backlash from her mother. Her father was a touchy subject for her mother, especially with what she had told her a few weeks ago._

_'… Why must it come down to this?'_

_Her mind wandered back to her family and Rea sighed before sitting up on her bed, looking at the stack of books that were left unread on her table. Perhaps if she worked hard enough she wouldn't think about the situation at all._

_'… Why must... mother seek a divorce now?'_

_She mumbled before reaching out for a book to start her revision. No time like the present after all._

* * *

..

'So that's how it is... huh?'

Keima mumbled to himself as he saw what appeared to be Rea's mother leaving the house with another man, someone that wasn't Rea's father and it wasn't rocket science to see what their relationship was seeing how intimate the two of them were. His hands slung over her waist squeezing her body and her clinging to his arm like her life depended on it.

'Even I can tell what the problem is...'

'You don't... not when you never considered what Rea herself is thinking.'

'I see you're close to the girl when you are calling her name so casually, mm, Katsuragi?'

Using his own words against him, Haqua smirked as Keima paused to find a comeback and he narrowed his eyes while commenting back to Haqua.

'I remember all the names of the girls that I had captured so far. From the Hatori Yui to Yokkyun, I can remember the lives that they led, the endings that are available to them... to know one's name is power and to be able to call them with their given name is a sign of closeness. You, who doesn't even understand that, can never capture anyone with such a logical fallacy!'

Shocked and scandalized by his words, Haqua spent a few seconds opening and closing her mouth in shock even as Keima continued on analyzing the situation.

'We have to determine whose side Rea is on. Her father or her mother... one can make an assumption at this point on her allegiance towards this family problem of hers. Still, I have to thank you for helping out, Haqua. I wouldn't have been able to find her house in time without your help.'

The two of them were currently staking out Konoe Rea's house and after chancing upon her mother and that unknown man leaving the house, Keima had made that comment out of the blue.

With Haqua's help, they had been able to locate and arrive at the current position without much of a fuss due to Haqua's handling of her celestial robe. It would take Elsi ages to locate her even with a tag and Keima was grateful to see another piece of the puzzle fall into place.

'Let's go... perhaps we'll luck out.'

'Where are we going now, Katsuragi?'

The two of them were currently hidden from view due to her raiment, Haqua was able to show that trick off to Keima and he wondered why she was able to separate pieces of her raiment to help in this task.

'Ah, it's a more advanced technique... you know how Elsi is... she's not that good with the raiment at all.'

'That's true... c'mon, we must hurry... if we are lucky we might see another 'event'.'

Pulling Haqua with him, Keima ran after the departing couple and they followed a safe distance behind them while Haqua asked what they were waiting or looking for exactly.

'We may be able to see the exact relationship between her parents. If the two of them get along, it would mean that Rea is the one that has been causing the split in the family. If that is the case, it would be trickier to handle. I wish I have a clear picture on Rea's opinion.'

'But that's silly, wouldn't they be arguing if her mother had a divorce?'

'It isn't clear whether her family has officially divorced...perhaps they were just living apart. There are different ways where a family can break apart. The parents might have differences that they cannot reconcile in or perhaps the love for each other may have simply disappeared.

They might not be lovers but may still remain friends in good terms with each other. There are many instances where families had stayed together due to their offspring and generally they do that to spare the trauma of divorce to their children till they are more matured to handle it.'

..

Haqua was surprised at Keima's knowledge on those matters and she would have been doubly impressed if Keima did not mention that it was common in games as well.

'Hey!'

'It was a joke, Haqua... even in games they would not have such a bad scenario. To see a once loving family breaking apart is probably the worse scenario for any game. No... one would like to split a family apart for the sake of an event or a back story unless there was an underlining reason for it.'

Keima explained as the two of them followed Rea's parents. There were limits for Keima as well and one of those limits was that unless there is a underlying reason for a tragedy, a tragedy cannot simply happen.

It could be blind luck but even that blind luck must tie into the story, it must have foreshadowing and not simply a random occurrence to further a plot event.

'If Rea is the reason they were fighting with each other , the core of the problem would be Rea being unable to make a stand and choose between her parents. That said, it is possible for a reconciliation event to take place with our assistance but with the current set up...'

Pointing at how Rea's mother was still clinging to the other man fondly like a young couple in love, Keima rested his case even as Haqua nodded in agreement.

'I see... so does the problem lie with him then?'

Pointing to the man, Haqua blushed when Keima nodded and even praised her for being quick on the uptake.

'You do not disappoint me this time, Haqua... there is the possibility that he is the person responsible for the gap in Rea's heart in the first place. Their parents may have been happy keeping the status quo but with the entry of this third person who had stolen her mother's heart, their marriage may have came to an end. Rea's troubles might stem from the breakup of her family due to the person there.'

Haqua nodded in understanding and then mumbled whether that problem would be solved if he was removed from the picture.

'Such drastic measures are not necessary, the easiest way out of this predicament would be to for us to help Rea come to terms with the new relationship she will have with the third party. Basically it is difficult for us strangers to interfere with the relationship problems of another family, much less an adult.

Rea would have no say in the matter and the key point would be to ensure or to encourage her to accept him or at least buy time for her to do that slowly. Another way to resolve this issues was to make Rea's mother fall in love with her father again and thus reconciling the family together. The latter is extremely difficult and again.. we should not meddle with a person's relationship to suit our whims.'

'Ehh... you're being awfully sensitive today, Katsuragi.'

Haqua noted with a small smile but before Keima could retort her hurtful words, Haqua added quickly to appease him as well.

'N-Not that I mind... I think that's a change for the better, Katsuragi... it's nice to see that even you respect other's relationships.'

'I do... a relationship between two people is not just one of mutual trust, it is one of acceptance and of two souls embracing each other together for the rest of the seeable future. Even a **God** should not intervene if they have decided to be together. That said, I do believe that testing the strength of a relationship is within my rights though!'

He laughed out loud while crossing his arms. Haqua didn't know what to make of Keima but she laughed as well, causing Keima to look back at her in surprise at her reaction. He was sure that she'll be mad at him but it didn't seem so... so what's... wrong?

'Ahaha... Katsuragi has his own standards after all. It's... good to see... c'mon, we're going to lose them if we don't hurry!'

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: R&R is greatly appreciated. Tell me what am I doing right/wrong!**


	6. Theories

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 6: Theories**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes:** **Thank you, _Wolf's Honour and AAAkira_ for the beta edit! I'll keep chugging on with this then~**

* * *

**..  
**

Despite the two of them tailing Rea's mother for the better half of the hour, they were unable to get any new leads and Haqua was relieved to see that even Keima got tired and called for to abandon their current pursuit.

'... It's cutting into my gaming time.'

He would say but Haqua could see that the constant flirting and showers of affection between Rea's mother and her partner was pissing him off. It was funny to see him all worked up over that but the amusement was washed away when Keima remarked that there was no way that Rea's parents would reconcile at this rate.

'This isn't puppy love at all, Rea's mother really like this man. From what I can see, they do not mind tying the knot together at all despite their current age and status. There will be many complications if we do not figure out the reason for the gap in Rea's heart soon... I might not even see the right ending due to all the noise around her..'

'Hmm... is there a problem with tying the knot together now?'

'I've mentioned before that relationships are a serious matter but marriage is the ultimate expression of love and it ties the pair together till the bond is resolved... Now, I am not... in favor of divorces but I admit that at times, it is impossible for a relationship to continue between two parties... still, that brings the point even stronger that a marriage between two people is the strongest and most important bond that one should have and should never be taken lightly.

Especially not with the current ages of Rea's parents, they are not a pair of love-sick teenagers or a newly wed couple... The two of them have responsibilities, careers and perhaps their own families to think of... it is definitely not something to decide on a whim... however from what we saw earlier, Rea's mother is quite happy and possibly determined to make sure that this new marriage, if it happens at all, will not break apart. From this we can ascertain that reconciliation is impossible due to Rea's mother and her affections for this man. If it were, she wouldn't be going out with this man after all.'

'You're really into this, Katsuragi... Well, I get what you mean... but we don't know the intent of the man do we? He could be after Rea-san and her family's wealth. He could just be pretending to like Rea's mother! If we can expose it, won't that mean that the two of them can patch up their marriage again?'

Haqua offered another suggestion as they headed back to Rea's house and her suggestion made Keima praise her yet again for being sharp.

'That is a good suggestion, Haqua... yes, perhaps that is a possible scenario... Ahh... there is too many noises! If we can get some more info on the actual situation it would be much easier to see the ending.'

To save time, Haqua and Keima were flying back to Rea's home and as they kept up a conversation going as they flew back, Haqua did not notice a smile on her face as she conversed with Keima about the possibilities of this capture.

It had been a long time since she had gotten into a debate about a capture or anything else that she was good at for awhile once again, Haqua wished how it would be better if she had Keima as her partner at the beginning.

Well... if they were paired at the start, would everything have happened as it is now? Haqua guessed that it wouldn't and she was glad that she had taken the gamble and volunteered to help him out even though Elsi did not ask for it.

It had opened up a whole new perspective of Katsuragi Keima and it was something that she really liked to see as she knew that Keima was perhaps the smartest and most unpredictable person ever in this world.

..

'We cannot make any assumptions about the true feelings of Rea mother's lover without making everything even more complicated... well, we can say that it was a victory knowing that he existed and we would be better off ruling that reconciliation isn't possible... Being too suspicious of everything might make one dismiss the important part of the story.'

'In retrospect that means that your only option that you have right now would be to help Rea to accept the changes in her household?'

'That's right... well, that's more difficult than you imagine... I would have to be a 'first-person' in order to do that. Family matters are-'

'Private and confidential desho? No one would talk about their family problems to a stranger~"

Winking at Keima as she said his lines, Haqua laughed when Keima's mouth dropped open briefly at her remark and she blushed when he nodded his head in confirmation.

'That is accurate. I see that you have talent in this area as well... So that means that the conquest will continue as planned. We would have to up the pace just a little... it has been just the third day but I'm sure that the impression that I had created along with Shiori would make things that much easier tomorrow.'

'Hai hai~~ Should we still go to Rea's house? Perhaps we can see something there.'

'You did tag Rea's mother didn't you, Haqua? We should check her location before we proceed...'

"Roger that~'

Haqua was enjoying the opportunity to showcase her abilities with Keima in tow while the **Capturing God **was glad to have a reliable partner for once. It seemed that they could do no wrong as they discussed their plans and prospects for the capture while making their way back.

* * *

..

'F-Father, you shouldn't be here... what if mother sees you!'

Dropping on the roof of Rea's home, Keima and Haqua was greeted to the sight of Rea arguing with her father in front of their door and from the way that tears was pouring from her eyes, it wasn't a simple argument and it had gotten even more heated as Rea's father shouted at Rea for her to listen to him.

'I want her to see me doing this! You're my daughter too! Why can't I see you when I want to? She doesn't have the right to tell me what to do! Did you mother tell you not to see me? I didn't see you today too... that boy told me that you were feeling a little sick and you went home to rest, are you fine, Rea?'

'I-I'm fine... a-and yes... I was sick before... just a little flu, I'm alright now. T-Thank you for asking... I'm sorry I didn't tell you...'

The argument died down a little with a little daughter-father bonding moment and the two of them watched as he spoke to Rea about how she should take better care of her herself and not get sick.

'It doesn't seem that they dislike each other, Katsuragi... so does that mean that the problem lies with the mother after all?'

'It could lie with Rea herself, don't forget that... well, at least we know that she wasn't avoiding his father because she disliked him. She still treats him respectfully and looks up him like a father... perhaps it's true that the other man is at fault in all this.'

'But one can't deny their love, didn't you say that before? This is getting tricky like you said it would...'

Scratching her head as she sat on the roof together with Keima, Haqua looked to see Keima gaming on his PFP again and she sighed, muttering about how leopards never changes their spots.

'Tell me... your mother wants a divorce... doesn't she? I got the letter a few days ago, I didn't think she was serious about it till she bared me from visiting you. She wants custody of you, Rea...'

His words were like a bombshell and Keima paid attention, putting his PFP down to have a close look at Rea's face.

The girl was shocked at his sudden confrontation and from how she looked away guiltily, it was probably exactly what his father had thought she'll react. Brushing her hair back, Rea fiddled with her hands a little while nodding her head to his answer.

'Sorry, I shouldn't tell you that... well, one of my reasons for visiting was to ask what you think of the situation, Rea... whether you'll like to be with me or your mother. If you like to be with me, I'll fight for your custody but if you would rather stay with your mother, I guess I shouldn't get in her way.'

He was really a good father and it seemed that even he realized that it was futile to save this marriage, a fact that was acknowledged by Keima as he commented that he probably knew of her wives lover and was just polite enough to not say it out aloud to save face for his wife.

'I... I don't know... father... I... I'll think about it for a while.'

A silence passed between the two of them and everyone present could see that the question was weighing heavily on her mind and as her father sighed and stroke her hair, Rea reached out to cling onto his hands as she asked.

'M-Must I make a decision? I-I want... father and mother both... can't we just... be like what we were like before?'

'You know that's impossible... Rea... your mother and I... we don't love each other any more...'

'I don't understand! I don't understand at all! W-Why? Why must... why did... the two of you feel that way...'

'... You'll understand when you fall in love Rea... I... I'll wait a few days for you to think it through, Rea... please give me an answer before that...'

Petting her head, Rea's father left the confused and crying girl behind him with the **Capturing God** looking down at her.

'I... think... right now I can see an ending.'

* * *

..

Rea was unable to give a reply in time to her father and who could expect her to make such a momentous and important decision so quickly without deliberating on it?

'This is the worse possible scenario for us.'

Keima muttered to Haqua and the demon girl simply nodded in response. So Rea herself wasn't sure what she wanted either. There probably wasn't an ideal ending for this particular capture because in the end someone was bound to get hurt...

'W-Wait a minute, wouldn't it be easier for you instead? I mean, now the objective is plain and simple. There is only one possible scenario left, right? The gap in her heart is probably due to her unable to decide between her two precious family members. As she loved the two of them equally and had been used to the current relationship, she can't accept anything or anyone trying to break the current status quo desho?It seems quite straightforward to me...'

Scratching her head as they watched Rea return to her home, Keima noted that Rea's hair was now straight instead of wavy... perhaps she was used to curling her hair a little before she went to school but he digressed.

Snorting as he crossed his arms, Keima started to lecture Haqua again on the finer details of the capture.

'There are other factors to consider... with this development, it increases the difficulty by quite an amount. You are perhaps right in saying that there is only one objective but there are different possibly scenarios and endings within this capture itself... Rea might grow to resent her mother's lover and rejects him and in the end might sour her relationship with her mother.

Another scenario would be that despite her best efforts, it's her mother's lover who rejected her and wanted her gone... well, there are many possible scenarios and our job to ensure that the gap is filled for good would only be half-done if we filled up her heart with love.'

Taking a break as he coughed, Keima continued while Haqua just nodded in understanding.

'It is possible that by being a pillar of support to Rea as her lover, Rea might get over or at least strive to coexist with the new relationship with me with her... that does not mean that she would still have the strength to go on when her memory is wiped...'

As Haqua reminded Keima on how the other captured girls had gone forward without him as well, Keima rebutted with the simple truth that reality was harsh and unpredictable.

'The best example to compare with this example is Aoyama Mio, she had to learn how to adapt to her new life style and had done so magnificently... hers is a good end, perhaps the best ending even. But, BUT!'

Keima was raising his voice at Haqua but she seemed to be unphased, almost anticipating his words like an eager audience, ready to lap up all that he was going to tell them.

'The problem essentially existed inside Mio, or... Mio was the problem, her character and pride didn't allow for her to stoop down to accept that she had became poor. Even if Rea acknowledged that her situation was her own fault, she is still affected by her surroundings... no, should I say, influenced by her surroundings.

There is not a 100% guarantee that I can ensure that her surroundings would not cause a relapse unless I have a better view and grasp of the situation! There's too much noise for me to tell apart the lies from the truth. Shiori's info was misleading too... curse all those unneeded cut-scenes! Where is my Skip button when I need one!'

As Keima raged, Haqua just seemed a little awkward as her mind raced about the same questions.

'I... I see... that's true, I didn't think about that...'

Haqua thought about it for a while as Keima carried on. He really must be quite excited in having an individual to discuss this with and Haqua wondered if he did do that with Aoba, the **Mai-Hime** and one of her nemesis. She would probably understand what he was talking about now, wouldn't she?

..

'Anyway, both parents would no doubt wish to have their daughter with them. It might not seem so apparent in the surface but Rea's father would fight tooth and nail for her daughter's custody if she wishes to stay with her father and from the looks of things, the mother would do the same as well. We can infer that from how her mother barred her father from meeting Rea at all. She is a protective mother alright.'

'Rea might want to stay with her mother too, right? I mean if she didn't consider that, she wouldn't have said she wanted to think about it. Even if it's being polite... it must really worry her for her to be possessed.'

'That is true as well...your points are valid and worth looking into further.'

Keima admitted with a nod but from his gloomy expression, he didn't think it would be that convenient at all.

'From the current signs...I well, I cannot say so with certainty but I am weighting my opinion on Rea wishing to stay with her father instead of her mother as she seemed anxious for him in his behalf... If she did not like or was concerned about her father at all, she wouldn't have done so in the first place. Shiori mentioned that she didn't like to talk about her family so she might not have been that happy with her mother after all. Well, it's just a hypothesis for now, what... do you think, Haqua?'

It was the first time that Keima had actually asked for her opinion and Haqua's mind blanked out for a moment before she rubbed her chin and considered the possibilities furiously. Keima had never, ever asked other's opinion about this... and so it was a rare chance to show that she was more than just a side kick!

For Keima however, his reason for asking Haqua was to see whether she had the potential to be another of his student as well. Fuse Aoba had been a formidable capturing target but she had a fatal flaw in that she was not well versed in the Galges that he was used to capturing.

By making her his disciple, he had managed to capture her and he was proud for Aoba making a name for herself in the gaming community. Right now it seemed that Haqua could have the same potential to capture others as well so why not give her the chance to learn some tricks of the trade from him?

For him to be freed from this nightmare sooner, he'd need her and the Weiss Capturing Squad's assistance and it didn't hurt to make Haqua a little more knowledgeable if she could back him up in the future.

Now he was sure that Haqua's talent lay in theory work but even that was important as well.

'It seems alright... but it could be that Rea-san... was not happy with her family's situation and didn't want to talk about it at all, right? Rea's parents were not divorced but Shiori did say that Rea-san's family were apart... so it might be a sore spot for her.'

'Good, that is a good point... Well, we'll know soon. That is true.'

'She could just want to salvage their marriage couldn't she? Or she could dislike the new person that her mother was marrying?'

Nodding in agreement to her words, Keima and Haqua exchanged more theories as they made their way back to his home. There was nothing more to be done today, the scene with Rea was over and although he had not raised any love points today, he had gotten more information about the situation. That was enough and a good day's work.

..

Keima smiled at Haqua suddenly but even if he looked away quickly, Haqua caught that and the demon girl blushed while asking him what he wanted from her.

'W-What is it?'

Keima was definitely conscious of her for the first time and Haqua looked away as well while taking the raiment off the two of them as they reached the main road where theyhad to go their separate ways.

'Nothing much... I was just reminded... of how smart you are.'

Realizing that he has just let that slipped out by accident, Keima looked away, embarrassed at his own slip up but the person that was the most embarrassed was Haqua as the demon stood there, stunned and rooted to the spot when she heard that.

It was the first honest compliment from him that she has gotten and she wished that she had captured that moment when it had happened. Wait, she could as she had the raiment with her!

'T-Thank you... K-keima...'

Smiling back at him, Haqua bowed before running away from him. It had been a great day for her, she had spent the entire afternoon with Keima, had been able to keep up to his words and best of all, had been honestly complimented by him.

She wouldn't want to destroy the good impression she had of her now and she decided that retreat was the best option right now.

* * *

**Author's Notes: MW's later chapters do... concern me... well, R&R!**


	7. Reminisce

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 7: Reminisce**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, _AAAkira and Wolf's Honour_ for the beta-edits. Without you, this wouldn't be published so efficiently!**

* * *

**..**

Looking at the messages that he had received for the entire day, Keima sighed when he saw Nakagawa Kanon's mail amongst them. As she was always busy with her work and had difficulties meeting up with Keima or any of the girls even though she was good friends with most of them.

Yes, she was a 'captured' girl as well and one that had feelings of affection for him.

That said, Kanon was one of the girls who had been in touch with Keima more often than the others as she mailed him updates on her status as well as about her day in general every day she could help It.

It was like a personal, heart-to-heart confession/update from her to him and even if Keima doubted and questioned the need for such a gesture, Keima felt obliged to read through her mail to send a reply.

No matter how short his replies were, Kanon would reply and thank him for doing that for her.

Kanon was happy and satisfied at him just taking the time to read through her mail at all as it was so difficult for her to get anyone to listen to her problems.

Talking to her manager helped but there were personal problems that Kanon would rather keep from her as well and Keima was someone that she knew she could confide in with as she knew that he would never tell anyone about her insecurities.

For Keima, Kanon's email brought about emotions that ranged from annoyance to concern as he knew that by replying her, he was forming a dedicated and focused pillar of emotional support for her to fall back on.

It was not that he truly minded, wait, he did mind as it meant that he was tied down by her with just a simple and common gesture.

As an emotional pillar, doesn't that mean that Kanon's psychological well-being was directly tied to how he handled her mails? That was a burden that he did not want to have at all!

But yet, he had continued to reply her mails, possibly encouraging her to continue sending the mails and updates to him. It was like a vicious cycle that he could not break out of without hurting Kanon in some way.

It was regrettable but since he had not nipped the problem in the start, he was paying the price now.

'…'

He'll have to ease Kanon's dependence or infatuation, even if it was an uphill battle. Yes, it was better for the two of them in the long run. They were living in different worlds, even if he did have a soft spot for the Top Idol of the current age.

..

The content for Kanon's mail reads as follows:

_'Good Evening Keima-kun,_

_I hope you are doing well today for I am having a great day! Have you heard of Yui-sensei? She was in the studio today for a recording for her new audio single but she had stayed back to hear me out on one of my own recording sessions._

_Yui-sensei has always been an idol for me and I look up to her as my senior in many ways. After all, she was one of the judges in the competition that allowed me to join up together with Lime and Yuri to debut with Citron._

_She spoke to me afterwords and told me that I had improved greatly! I was so happy and touched by how she took a few minutes of her time just to tell me that._

_I... I feel that I've progressed just a little further towards my goal~~ Not that I'll forget that I'm singing for you as well, Keima-kun._

_I'm sorry for bothering you today with my mail again, but I really really wanted to tell you about this today!_

_Thank you for listening to me talk about random things as always._

_Love_

_- Nakagawa Kanon'_

..

It seemed that everything in Kanon's life was smooth sailing today and Keima read the mail thoroughly a few times more before composing his own reply to her.

_'Kanon,_

_So it is time for your daily update today as well._

_I've read through it and I am happy for you for meeting your idol. There is still a long road in front of you, but as you said so yourself, as long as you never forget about your goal and objectives._

_You will always be one step forward in that desired direction and your final goal._

_Till next time_

_-Keima'_

..

It was short and to the point as usual and after replying to Kanon, Keima shook his head before going back to replying to the rest of the mails that he had received.

Was he putting too much of his own emotion into words while replying Kanon? It seemed like he was telling and reminding himself of the same thing as well.

'… As long as I... remember, huh?'

He mumbled to himself, reflecting that his attitude towards the other girls had changed considerably too and although he blamed that on the surroundings, it had became normal and a habit to do so, which troubled him greatly.

Yes, he had struck a good balance between the **'Real'** and the **'World'** that he belonged to and in the most part, had benefited from this carefully balanced schedule and list of priorities.

It was possible for him to retain his title of the **Capturing God** while at the same time shed the title of the _Otamegane_ for one of a clueless protagonist in a harem anime.

It amused him a little to be compared to that as to the **Real** he was someone who was unaware of the affections the many girls around him had for him but in reality, in his own **World** he was dealing with the task of keeping them at bay while still ensuring a good relation with them.

All in all, a tricky situation that was strangely effective at the same time.

Well, there's no use thinking too much into it now that it had been established.

Like the issue with Kanon, as long as it began, there was no way of ending this without hurting someone in the progress.

* * *

..

Day 4 of the capture began in earnest and from Shiori's report, Rea had been none the worse for the encounter the previous day and had not even approached her at all.

Despite the curiosity that was no doubt burning inside her about Shiori and Keima, it seemed that her own family problems was more important to her and Keima acknowledge that fact with a small grim smile.

Keima and Elsi had skipped class thanks to the raiment dolls that Elsi had prepared for them and they were currently having a strategy session for the upcoming lunch break.

Keima had detailed the plan earlier to Shiori and right now the briefing was to highlight different scenarios that might develop for Haqua and Elsi's benefit.

'Well, it is not that our little facade could be as impressionable to hold a higher priority over a family and personal problem after all. If Rea did approach Shiori and ask her about what had happened the earlier day, it would mean that that is not the source of her troubles and we've been barking up the wrong tree and that was not the source of her problems. The impression we created might be memorable but it was at the same time weak as Rea has little ties or links to it. Yes, it might be a shocking event, more shocking to her than to others who may have witnessed together with her as it happened to a close friend of hers. However, essentially that was all it is; an event happening and centralizing on a friend of hers.'

'Basically you're saying that Rea-san might remember the event but as it had little significance to her, it ranks lower in priority to other events?'

Haqua summarized it accurately for Keima and she smiled as Keima nodded his head to her in acknowledgement.

'Precisely, Haqua. Elsi, takes notes here.'

Nodding to Elsi who pouted at the attention that Keima was giving to Haqua instead of her as Keima continued on.

'That is to be expected, like I said so earlier. If Rea had confronted either me or Shiori about the incident earlier in the morning, that would mean two things. One: that Shiori or me matters more than her own problem with her family and two: that she had already made up her mind on the affairs of her family and thus can focus on the issue with Shiori. Both scenarios are equally unlikely but since they have not passed, we can ignore them.'

'What we should observe now is Rea's reaction to Shiori. That is the turning point of this story. Let us break the Delta Force of Love!'

* * *

..

_'Ano... Rea...'_

_Looking up from her own bento, Konoe Rea looked up to see Shiomiya Shiori looking at her in front of her desk. It had been quite a terrible day for Rea as she had woken up late and had to make do with leftovers from yesterday's dinner._

_As her mother's new boyfriend had come over for dinner, Rea's mother had prepared his favourite dishes which were sadly enough, mostly seafood. Rea hadn't like seafood ever since she had gotten food poisoning from eating raw oysters when she was young, and to see an entire table filled with seafood was too much for her to bear._

_Excusing herself early, Rea had waited the entire night till the two of them had fallen asleep before she had crept down to her kitchen and to cook herself a meal with what was leftover: eggs, slices of ham and rice._

_Well, it was thankful that she had prepared a significant amount of the food and she was able to bring some of the remaining food to school today._

_Come to think of it, she might have gotten up late due to that exhausting night. Well... Rea knew that another reason keeping her up so late was the decision that she had to make in a matter of days._

_How could she choose between living with her father or her mother when she loved them both equally?_

_Rea admitted that she was embarrassed of her family's situation as a whole. Sure, they weren't divorced which meant that she was able to see both her parents but in the same vein, having dinner with the two of them was awkward as although they got along, they treated each other more like good friends instead of lovers._

_Yes, Rea knew that there were worse family relationships than this but even though she knew that, that didn't mean that she couldn't be a little resentful about it, right?_

_Ever since Rea could remember, she had been mesmerized by scenes shot during dinner in Drama Serials as they seemed to be so much fun, alive and chatting about everything under the sun. In contrast her parents had mostly talked about work or had relied on Rea to get the ball rolling in the first place._

_Eventually they had gotten fed up on that facade of eating dinner together as a 'family' and even living together and her father had moved away and to cement the separation, Rea's mother had moved from place to place several times after._

_Rea knew that her parents all doted on her, albeit in different ways and they hadn't gotten a divorce yet mainly due to her._

_It was difficult for a child to cope with divorce, especially in a young and tender age and Rea appreciated the gesture as I allowed her to grow up in a more or less normal household._

_Still, the situation was hard on her in many ways as she would feel embarrassed or angry at her parents attempt to look like they were still in love with each other in front of her friends or during parents-teacher conferences._

_It made her wince at their overzealous and bad acting and also upset her greatly at how they were acting just for her and not for each other._

..

_'All for her'._

_That's what they kept using and saying and by the time she entered high school, she had gotten numb about the situation, or at least she had told herself so. Rea had merely gotten used to the situation and... became tolerant of it. That didn't necessarily meant that she like it though, as she realized whenever someone asked about her family and she had to take great pains to keep her family's situation a secret._

_Her parents loved her in different ways as her mother was always strict with her, keeping a close eye on her education, hiring tutors for her lessons that she was weak in and making it her personal and vested interest to coach her in her studies. Rea's mother was a professor in a well-known and established college and ever since Rea was young, she had helped Rea with her homework and subsequently, her educational road map._

_Rea's mother was strict but Rea knew that she wanted the best for her, as usual. That said, Rea preferred her father's attitude towards her life over her mother's as he took a completely different path and had a different view in how he showed affection for her._

_He was not one that one would call an educated person, a big contrast to Rea's mother; and was a simple man who had gotten to his position in life as a manager in a small firm due to sheer hard work and perseverance._

_Unlike Rea's mother who was certainly stricter, Rea's father was more carefree and wanted Rea to enjoy her childhood and Rea enjoyed the times when her father would take her out on picnics together with his friends and their children._

_The times where he brought her to the library to read her stories or when they went out trekking together._

_He wanted her to experience life when she could and not be too obsessed with the rat-race before it was too late._

_Rea noticed early on that perhaps that it was their different outlook and opinion about how Rea should be raised that caused friction between them and Rea wondered how they had gotten married in the first place when they were essentially opposites of one another._

..

_'Yes... Shiori?'_

_Playing with her hair, which was tied up to a ponytail today, Konoe Rea smiled awkwardly at her friend who sat in front of her before saying that she wanted to speak to her about something._

_'B-But... I can wait... it's something important... and I... don't want anyone else to hear me.'_

_Rea nodded her head as she realized what she was probably going to talk about. The incident that she had witnessed yesterday between her and Katsuragi Keima. At least, she thought it was the two of them... there could be the possibility that Shiori had been confessed to by another person and he had broken the two of them apart by accident._

_It was almost impossible for that though as Rea knew that Shiori liked Katsuragi very much and would reject everyone who would confess to her if she hadn't confessed to him, so it must be that she had gotten rejected._

_Funny how she could think that without feeling sad, but it was really... none of her business after all. It was not like she was a third party or anything! It was odd for her to think so and she blamed Katsuragi for putting those weird thoughts in her head. She had sworn that he looked like he was trying to run away from her yesterday like he had wronged Shiori by meeting with her..._

_It must be her imagination running wild again!_

_'Sure... let me finish up, I only have a little bit to go after all.'_

_Smiling as she picked up the pace to finish her bento, Rea failed to notice Shiori looking and reading a piece of paper before stuffing it into her pocket._

* * *

..

_'I... confessed to him... To Katsuragi-san.'_

_Shiori blurted out immediately when they were alone in a corner of the school and Rea admitted that she wasn't too surprised and her facial expression reflected that as well as Shiori continued before she could say anything._

_'You... saw it... so... I guess you... wouldn't be too surprised at the outcome...'_

_Shiori's lip was trembling now and Rea reached to her tentatively, her hands about to rest on Shiori's shoulders when the shorter girl suddenly grabbed hold of her and hugged her tightly as though her life depended on it._

_'H-He... he said that he... c-couldn't go out with me, Rea! He... said that...!'_

_If Rea wasn't sure what Shiori felt, she was certain now when tears started dropping on her blouse and Rea hugged the crying girl back, trying to reassure her by petting her back. Her height made that a challenge as Shiori buried her face into her chest as she sobbed inconsolably._

_Rea wondered why Shiori wanted to tell her that as she knew that Shiori had her own share of friends in the library club and was especially close with the chairperson of the library committee... so why did she choose to tell her instead of the others?_

_Yes, she had been the one who had witnessed what had happened after that but wasn't that something embarrassing to admit after all?_

_Rea wouldn't really know as she had not confessed to anyone before, and Rea could imagine the heartbreak that Shiori was feeling now must be really terrible._

_'T-There... Shiori, it's alright... I won't tell anyone else...'_

_Maybe she just didn't want anyone else to know and Rea reassured her that she would not tell anyone else about what had happened._

_'Katsuragi-san didn't... say that he disliked you, right, Shiori? You could... still be friends with him right?'_

_Rea wasn't sure if that was the right thing to say but as she wasn't very experienced in that matter, Rea figured it was worth a shot and thankfully it seemed that it was alright as Shiori nodded her head slowly in reply._

_Encouraged by Shiori's reaction, Rea rubbed a hand against Shiori's head, ruffling her hair as she told Shiori that it'll be alright repeatedly._

_'I'm sure that Katsuragi-san would... accept Shiori in due time, if Shiori really likes him, you can wait for him to come around, right?'_

_Rea didn't expect a response as violent as this one as Shiori pushed her away suddenly and Rea knew that she had said something wrong when Shiori's entire body started to shake in anger._

_Her fringe covered her eyes as she looked down and Rea felt a little frightened at how Shiori was behaving. She called her name once nervously, hoping that she would respond._

_..  
_

_'S-Shiori?'_

_'H-How... how could you say that? I... I thought f-for sure... that you wouldn't have done that... but...'_

_With tears dropping down her eyes and hitting the floor steadily, Shiori staggered towards Rea and the surprised girl took a few steps backwards nervously. Something had agitated her friend and it was probably what she had said or what she hadn't said. What could have gotten her so mad? Wasn't she saying the truth, that Katsuragi would eventually accept Shiori if she didn't just give up now?_

_'S-Shiori? W-What's the matter?'_

_'How could you say that to me? To me! H-how could you? Y-You yourself... knew that there was no chance... t-that he would ever like me after all! K-Katsuragi-san... he has someone else that he liked!'_

_It was like the end of the world for Shiori and she collapsed on the floor while hitting the floor with her hands repeatedly and emotionally even as Rea looked on in shock._

_He had someone he liked? Who? Who could it be? W-Wait a minute..._

_Rea's mind froze as she looked at Shiori in fear and she felt a slow sinking feeling as she forced the question out of her._

_'He... he couldn't...'_

_'Y-Yes... y-you must have known, right, Rea? H-He likes you!'_

_Shiori managed to cry out before sobbing again even as Rea's eyes widened n surprise._

_'N-No way! T-This must be some kind of mistake, Shiori, he-he couldn't have...'_

_'He-He told me himself... when I asked him who he liked... h-he... said that it was you... you! Rea, h-how could you... do this to me?'_

_Was she the third party? How could his have happened?_

_..  
_

* * *

_**Author's Notes: I wonder if the new release schedules is up to standard! I'm trying to fix the releases on a specific day of the week now and regularly on the same day.**  
_


	8. Competition

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 8: Competition**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, ****_Wolf's Honor and AAAKira _****for the beta edit~! I almost forgot about this update..**

* * *

**..**

Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** had to take his hat off to Shiomiya Shiori for putting up such a high-class performance. She was flawless and would even fool him with that world-class act.

He knew that she was a very focused individual who was well known for her attention to details, seeing how she was able to read though and remember all the books in the library with a photographic memory.

That said, Shiori was also a very avid dreamer and one who he believed had a very wide and varied imagination. That imagination might have found an avenue to express itself besides through the traditional medium of pen and paper.

Looking beside him at the two demons who were looking over Shiori's little performance together with him, Keima nodded in understanding as Elsi told him that Shiori had asked for help with her lines from no one else then Fuse Aoba, the **Mai-Hime.**

'I never doubted her abilities... but she has surprised me yet again. Even if it's Shiori who deserves the lion's share of the credit, I'm sure that Fuse has played a big part in allowing Shiori to understand the feelings of the individual whose shoes she is filling in right now. All I hope is that she doesn't go too far into character and forget about the game plan... Where is my R1 button when I need one.'

That's right, the three-way relationship, the delta-force of love would have to come down and Keima had chosen to do so by making Shiori retreat by her own accord.

It might be disadvantageous for him to do so as he would have to combat and overcome the feeling of guilt that Rea might feel from 'stealing' from Shiori, not to mention that she herself had to overcome her own unwillingness to go out with him due to her own friendship with Shiori.

It was a classic case of One's Friendship VS One's Love/Happiness that is quite common in his galges and apparently in serial dramas as well, the latter according to Elsi.

'Don't you think she's overdoing it? I mean... the two of you just met... it's unlikely that your crush would be on her, would it?'

Haqua asked in confusion before promptly being hit on the head by Keima, his hand rapping against Haqua's forehead in annoyance as he spelt out the word: 'Crush' for her, drawing it out for her to pay attention to that word.

'A crush is something that one holds in one's heart and it might or might not be an open secret. What is common and important for one's feelings to be considered a crush is that the target of affection must_never_ know about it. This is the most basic and common knowledge for it to be called a crush, Haqua! That is the same case with Shiori as well. Rea knew that Shiori has a crush on me and at the same time, knew that I has no idea of Shiori's feelings for me. Well, the latter is a stretch seeing how Shiori had been overdoing her part to 'sell' me in the last few days but we can still think of it in the same vein. I may know of Shiori's affection as it had ballooned recently due to something I did but if I had not taken concrete action to prove it, it will continue to be a crush till the day or the moment that I meet her affection face to face with either acceptance or denial. This is something important and yet fundamental, so remember this even if you have to forget something else!'

Looking crossly at Haqua, Keima placed a finger on his lips as there was movement on the girl's side and he motioned for the two of them to assist in discouraging or making sure that the two of them were alone as this is the turning point of the capture like he said.

The impression he had created of himself had been enlarged by Shiori and there was no doubt that his image or at least his shadow was looming over Rea's thoughts. The key point was to make sure that the shadow and influence was stronger and higher in the priority ladder than even her own personal and family issues.

To Rea, he must strive to be number one! That was the first step to take before they could start tackling Rea's family problems.

* * *

..

_'H-He told me himself... when I asked him who he liked... h-he... he said it was you... you! R-Rea... how could you... do this to me! I-I can't believe it!'_

_Rea was stunned when she heard that and although it was difficult for her wrap her mind around the idea, Rea admitted that it could indeed be possible. Rea herself didn't know what to feel about it, should she be more shocked, disgusted, upset, horrified or happy at the revelation?_

_Katsuragi Keima had been the person who had helped her out earlier and her first impression of him was a positive one, which was compounded and expanded upon by Shiori's raving review of him and Rea admitted that she had looked at him in a very positive light._

_At the same time however; it was really too surprising for her to accept right now. She was shocked and horrified in knowing that she had a secret admirer that was her friend's crush!_

_Horrified for she had no idea and she didn't want to be the third party in any relationship at all! She didn't even do anything to make this Katsuragi Keima fall in love with her and she had ended up being a third party any way! It was like a nightmare to her and she wondered if Shiori would ever forgive her._

_Happy as it was the first time that she had gotten a confession, well, not directly but it was still a happy thought knowing that she was important to someone else in the world as well. Rea had never thought too much about love and although she was prone to feelings of puppy love for a few handsome and cute actors that she saw on TV, she wasn't one to chase after those people at all._

_So to know that there was someone, even if it's a friend of a friend and her crush at that, liked her, it was something momentous and something she was happy about. Not to mention how Shiori was behaving really made it seem so surreal, who would have thought that she would break down totally like that..._

_Right now however, she had to answer Shiori and she swallowed nervously before approaching her, taking small baby steps as Shiori just continued venting her frustrations on the floor._

_.._

_'Please... stop... Shiori, you'll hurt yourself...'_

_When it looked like she was not going to be the target of her frustrations, Read dived at her and grabbed her hands, pulling them up before releasing them and holding her shoulders tightly. Pulling her up slowly, Rea made Shori look at her as she explained herself._

_'I didn't know that Katsuragi-san liked me at all... I didn't meet him at all till a few days ago... and so I didn't know what he felt towards me... I... I don't know what to say... but please believe me, Shiori... I wouldn't have hid it from you at all, Shiori!'_

_It was the truth, she had only known about this Kasuragi person from Shiori and so there was no way she could have stolen his heart away without her knowing. Something must have happened a long time ago for there to be a remote chance that he liked her and without knowing it, she blushed a little in satisfaction at realizing that a long time ago, she had been someone important in someone's heart. Even if she felt extremely guilty just looking at Shiori._

_'Please... Shiori, look at me... I wouldn't have done that... I know how you felt towards Katsuragi-san... please believe me...'_

_Come to think of it, there had been a little foreshadowing of this current turn of events. From the way that he went out of the way to approach her, help her and even knew her name without her introducing herself had meant that Katsuragi Keima had known about who she was for quite some time._

_So... was it just an accident that he had helped her out earlier? No... it must have been too good a chance for him to pass up..._

_'I...'_

_'D-Don't... please don't... Rea...'_

_Before Rea could apologize to her, Shiori had interrupted her and even with the tears running down her cheeks, Shiori still looked determined as her hands wrested free from Rea and instead held her wrist in an iron-like grip, almost as if she was matching strength with her as she spoke._

_'D-Don't... apologize to me, Rea... I... I don't want you to pity me... I... I don't, I won't forgive you if you do that...'_

_Rea had never thought that she'll ever see the day when Shiori would voice her opinion loud and clear but right now was the time as those words came from the normally shy and meek Shiori! Love can really change someone after all!_

_'I... I'll believe... Rea... I... I couldn't believe... it... a-as I... know Rea... wouldn't do such a thing... a-and Katsuragi... Katsuragi-san he told me about it...'_

_That was news to her but Shiori didn't seem too comfortable in telling her more as she changed topic quickly._

_'R-Rea... wouldn't want to hurt me by keeping it from me... Rea... knows about how I feel... about Katsuragi-san... a-s if not... that... means that Rea, Rea... wanted to hur-'_

_Shiori's thoughts were going into a downward spiral and Rea acted quickly by holding her hands quickly and telling her that it was not the case at all! It was heartbreaking to see Shiori cry like that and her eyes were filled with negative and strong emotions bordering in insanity. Was this what it was like to be in love? A sickness that was stronger, more rewarding and devastating than madness itself?_

_If so... would she be taken by this strong emotion in the end as well?_

* * *

..

'She's really overdoing it.'

Haqua commented while Keima looked a little uncomfortable at how emotional Shiori was getting. Keima knew that this was a touchy topic for all the girls as well and he could not help but wonder if this was just one of the 'scenes' that he would cause in the future when he has to make his decision and give the girls an answer.

Wounds can heal, love can be rebuilt but at what cost and for how long? The longer he delayed the answer for them to have full and complete closure, he was just making it a living hell for the girls that have lost in the end. Endless regrets, questions and answers that they would have to keep inside them till the end.

There could only be one winner and Keima hoped and prayed that when the time came for him to give _the_ answer that one of them had been desiring for, the others would not react in the same fashion as Shiori looked like the world was about to end in front of her eyes.

'… Feeling a little guilty, Katsuragi? She really is giving it her all after all... you'll owe her one after this.'

Haqua scoffed as she crossed her arms while looking at Shiori, Elsi teared up as she watched the emotional scene, Keima wondered again whether Shiori had just gotten reality and 'fiction' mixed up by accident and he acknowledged that Shiori would need some pampering from him to recover from this traumatic event again.

He approved of 'method acting' but something this realistic was making his hair stand as well.

'Yeah... I will make it up to her after this...'

Scratching his head while looking over Shiori, Keima commented to the two demons who nodded approvingly at his decision. Even if Shiori agreed to do this for him, it's really a little too much for her.

'It's... progressing in the right direction... so she deserves that much... However... I am... concerned at the destination that Shiori is steering into. I just hope that it will not turn out to be what I fear it would end up being.'

The girls looked at her in confusion as the **Capturing God** bit his lip nervously. It was the first time that Keima was asking another person to aid in a capture and his ally was a 'captured' girl as well! This was something unprecedented and even Keima was a little nervous at what the end result would be. 'He'll be fine with a normal ending, the 'best' ending would be almost impossible to achieve with the emotions at stake here.

* * *

..

_'I wouldn't want to hurt Shiori at all! If... If I knew that he liked me, I'll have given up for your sake, Shiori...'_

_Rea wasn't sure if that was the right line to say but it was apparent that it wasn't as Shiori lashed out against her for saying that to her._

_'I don't want you to give up just for me! W-Why... why would anyone say that? Katsuragi-san too... he he said that he'll be willing to try to like me back! But that's not what I want! What I want is for him to like me by his own accord! Not for him... for him to just..!'_

_Shiori was close to inconsolable now and Rea felt guiltier for aggravating her in such a way. Shiori was a nice person and even if it was not Rea's fault or his fault or her own fault, feelings of love were complicated and crazy at times after all. Shiori had gotten hurt by their words even if they had meant well._

_All's fair in love and war after all and unlike other material things in the world, love was something that tastes sweeter when one rightfully earns it and not given to them on a silver platter. Love, when given by necessity or because it is 'better' or 'right' is not love after all._

_In all of Rea's seventeen years in life, this was the first time that she realized that simple fact and what made it even more memorable or shocking was that she had to come to terms with it within the span of a few seconds._

_'You don't want him to say that he likes you because... you confessed to him... you want him to say he likes you because that's what he really feels... desho?'_

_That's the right answer after so many trails and errors and Shiori nodded her head weakly while hitting her lightly on her chest._

_This was a new experience for her, a terrible one at that as she was the third party after all. All things considering, Rea was relieved that Shiori had apparently treasured and valued their friendship enough for her to __**not**__come demanding for answers immediately after her rejection._

_It was quite straightforward though when one looked at it objectively. Shiori likes Katsuragi, Katsuragi likes her and she herself doesn't care for him at all._

_Well... not at all, he was attractive, at least average in looks and build and he treated her well, she might be just getting caught up in the moment and situation here but she admitted that he was someone different from the boys who had always shunned her in favor of other, more active and outgoing girls in class or in her life so far._

_Unique perhaps, but she wasn't sure if it was the romantic kind of unique._

_'I... I'm a terrible person, Shiori... for taking away your crush without me knowing it._

_.._

_Rea admitted softly to the two of them as they stood side by side in the corridor in one of the older complexes in the school. The bell had rang a long time ago without them realizing but the two of them didn't feel like going to class any more, considering the emotional and heated arguments they had just had together._

_Their friendship had come out of the ordeal intact though and that was the sole thing that Rea was happy about as she turned to look at Shiori nervously._

_After helping her up and drying her tears, Shiori had remained relatively quiet, no, totally silent except for the occasional sniff. Shiori had stopped crying for some time but at the same time, she had also reverted back to her normal silent self. Rea didn't quite mind that as it was normal and par the course for Shiori. It was also a relief to see Shiori back to normal, or at least having her emotions in check at least, and Rea wondered if Shiori had expended all her words or emotions for the whole year with that outburst earlier._

_It was a funny thought but Rea wasn't about to laugh, not when the tension between the two of them was not totally dispelled and was still hovering about the two of them like a dark cloud._

_'It's... not Rea's fault...'_

_Breaking the silence, Shiori managed to whisper and Rea tilted her head. It wasn't her fault per se but that doesn't mean that she could say it wasn't __**all**__her fault as well._

_'Then... what should we do, Shiori? E-Even if you say that you don't want me to... just tell him that I don't like him at all.'_

_'… I... don't want to be the 'second choice'.'_

_'You... might be over-thinking it, Shiori...'_

..

_Rea tried to joke about the situation but it really wasn't funny to Shiori as she narrowed her eyes at Rea's words._

_'I don't... want that. I want Katsuragi-san to like me... for what I am... not... because he got... rejected by Rea and... and even... if it makes me sad, I... I think It'll be okay.'_

_'What will be okay, Shiori?'_

_Rea blinked in confusion at Shiori's words. It's strange for her to be so vague and non-committal with her words, especially when they were regarding Katsuragi Keima. It was almost as if she was following a script of some sort._

_'I... I'll be okay... if... Rea goes … out with Katsuragi-san... in the end. I... I know that... Rea would take care... of Katsuragi-san... for me. I... I don't want to lose... b-but if... if it comes down to that in the end... I.. I don't mind.'_

_Rea was glad that Shiori was blushing too as she felt her face heat up from her words. Why would Shiori feel that way? Wasn't she supposed to fight for him and not give in to her so easily,?_

_'… If... If I... have to choose... someone to lose too... a-and have... to give up on... Katsuragi-san... then Rea... Rea, is alright... So...'_

_Turning to her abruptly, Shiomiya Shiori, with her hands placed on her chest and with her mouth set in a determined line, declared to Konoe Rea that the two of them were competitors for the heart of Katsuragi Keima from now on._

_'E-Even if... Rea... Rea doesn't like Katsuragi-san... I... I don't want... Rea to just... reject him.. and don't let him try at all... K-Katsuragi-san is a good... person and I don't want to see him... heartbroken like me... So... So please R-Rea... grant me this selfish wish... please... promise me!'_

_Again with that selfish request but Rea didn't think there was anything for her to lose in making this promise and granting her request. At least she wasn't going to lose the friendship she had with Shiori and she slowly nodded in agreement to her terms._

_'I accept, so... I guess it depends on whether... Katsuragi-san makes me fall in love with him... first, or Shiori, does huh?'_

_'Mm... mm.. t-that's right... P-Please... give him a chance too...'_

_'You're just making things more difficult for you too, you know that, right? Shiori?'_

_Finding that she really had to smile in resignation at her words and request, Konoe Rea and Shiomiya Shiori's competition began in earnest as Shiori nodded to her._

_'T-That's.. w-what I should say... R-Rea! I... I won't lose to you.. s-so... n-no hard feelings!'_

* * *

..

'Is this the really the best way to go about, Katsuragi?'

Haqua asked the **Capturing God** and from his troubled expression, that was not the case at all.

'No, it isn't. Although it is progressing in the right general direction.. Shiori has left the Delta-Force of Love intact and thriving... I'm afraid that it makes things even more difficult and complicated as Shiori had not gone according to the script... Well, I suppose all things considering she could have done worse... has she triggered the Harem end? No, this can't be... there was no foreshadowing of that at all...'

'Kami-Onii-sama never accounted Shiori-chan's feelings desho? Shiori-chan doesn't want to appear weak and so she didn't want to say that she'll give up willingly~'

Elsi struck the nail on the head with her first try and was rewarded with Keima rubbing a hand on her head, ruffling her hair affectionately as Keima praised her.

'That is accurate. That is the perfect analysis for this situation. Shiori's method acting was perfect, too perfect that she had forgotten her real motive for being involved in the capture and had not removed herself from the equation fully. That said, the triangle has been more or less equalled and that is still a good thing. We shall progress this scene while we can immediately after school. Please, assist in contacting Shiori about that, Elsi.'

Even if there wasn't a path towards the perfect ending in sight, all he had to do was to make one. He is the **Capturing God** after all!

* * *

**Author's Notes: Reviews are an important part of my diet.**

**No Joke. So do your part and R&R!**


	9. Moving Forward

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 9: Moving Forward**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: This update is possble thanks to ****_AAAKira and Wolf's Honour! _****Thank you for the beta-edit!**

* * *

..

'Since she has not eliminated herself entirely, I'm afraid that we'll have to lengthen the capture. On hindsight we could make it possible for a dual capture but that is something unnecessary as Shiori is not a capture target.'

'Oho? I thought you were more interested in building up your existing harem, Katsuragi. Well, it's best to get this over and done with though... Why not just focus on Rea alone, Katsuragi?'

'I could... but realistically Shiori would have to be involved in some way as well. That is the basis of the challenge that Shiori had given out to Rea... Well, I'll have to talk to her about that. She probably said that out without thinking it through.'

'No... she definitely was thinking about the implications when she said that to Rea.'

Haqua muttered softly and thankfully for her, Keima was distracted as Elsi pointed out to Keima that they should probably return to class soon.

'As Kami-Onii-sama said, the next part would be after school today desho? Konoe-san and Shiori-chan are good students so they'll return to class after the bell rings.'

Elsi was trying her best in her own way and she dragged Keima back to class while the **Capturing Godc**alled out to Haqua to tell her to inform Shiori that he'd like to talk to her during one of the breaks during classes.

Now that lunch break was over, they'd have to try and target for an after-school event. The key question was how they were going to go about finding and establishing that event together with Rea.

Well, he could think about that when he met with Shiori later on.

* * *

..

Katsuragi Keima didn't think this scenario would develop but he took it all on his stride as he was greeted by not just Shiori but some of the other 'captured' girls as well.

Besides Shiomiya Shiori, the girl that he came to see in the infirmary, there was Takahara Ayumi along with Kosaka Chihiro right by her side and they were surrounding the literary girl. Judging from the looks that they were giving him, they wanted some answers from him.

Now, Shiori wasn't known to be very friendly with the two of them but they were connected through the sequence of events that had brought them here and who had common ties with him. No doubt wanted to now more about what was going on with him and Shiori.

Keima wasn't really very friendly with the two girls in class but he was at least tolerant and neutral to them in public. In private he wasn't that much different but he was still a person that Ayumi and Chihiro got along with despite his frank and sometimes rude comments. Sure, he would never speak unless spoken to and in general the girls did not have much conversational topics with Keima but it doesn't mean that they disliked his company.

They were... satisfied, in a way, to be accepted by him and not shunned away like others and they found it a little amusing that they and only they alone, were able to see another, hidden side of him. The World Only The Girls Knows indeed.

Ayumi in general had came to an understanding with herself that although Keima showed that different side of him to her by necessity and necessity only, he had _chosen_ to do that in the first place and was happy and gratified to be given the chance to see him in that light.

Chihiro was just glad to see a different side of him while observing him from a distance and she respected him for chasing his dreams. In many ways, he was a role model and beacon of hope for her.

The two of them knew that Keima would help them when they needed it with no questions asked and it was that burning feeling and that promise with him that made them continue to hold on to their feelings of affections for him.

One might call it an unrequited crush. It really was one, wasn't it? But they were happy to hold on to it for now, seeing that he still surprised them from time to time with his actions and quips that made them laugh or to make them reflect on how they had been living their lives.

They could happily say that by being with him, the two of them had gotten a lot more mature and have even found ways to live life more meaningfully, something that one does not declare lightly to anyone.

Naturally, the two of them were well-known in school for being two of the girls that had shown an interest in the _Otamegane _and had the distinction of being acknowledged by him as well.

..

'Katsuragi...'

Narrowing her eyes as she crossed her arms, Kosaka Chihiro pointed to a chair that had been placed conveniently in front of them and demanded that he sit down there now.

'We would like to know what you have been asking Shiori-chan to do. We saw her reading the script that you had prepared for her... even if Shiori-chan said that she didn't mind doing that because you asked her to... we would still like to know why... please, Keima-kun~'

Adding the please almost as an afterthought, Ayumi smiled brightly at him but he could see the twitching of her eyebrows that signalled that she was actually quite mad at him for whatever he was doing and would not hesitate to punish him if he didn't explain himself.

Ayumi was one of the few girls who could make others shiver in fear with just a smile when she was mad but Keima remained mostly unimpressed at the girl as he looked at Shiori a little crossly. This was exactly what he had dreaded but as Shiori seemed apologetic while greeting him, he'll let it pass this time.

'G-Gomen... I... t-they made me tell them what was going on... after I went back to class...'

'Right, you took lessons from Fuse earlier on didn't you?'

'Ah... yes... I did... Aoba-chan... helped me a lot.'

Shiori gave an embarrassed smile as Keima praised her for what she had done for him so far; it was progressing just as he wanted it to. It might be harder to go with the route that Konoe Rea was on so in order to make it easier for him, he had to create a way to enter her life without too much fuss. One would call this fuss but it was par the course, the end justified the mean desho?

'You were superb, although I wonder if you were a little confused at the end.'

Keima sighed but stopped saying more as Chihiro cleared her throat to get his attention, pointing at the chair more urgently this time. As he took a seat, Ayumi and Chihiro leaned even closer to him even as Shiori gave a squeak of nervousness at the girls tapping their feet impatiently.

'So... answers, now, Katsuragi. We're alone right now so you don't need to worry about other people eaves dropping'

'Keima-kun~ it'll be nice if you tell us. Every. Thing~'

Ayumi's expression got just a wee bit darker and Chihiro's tone just a little more forceful as Keima filled them in on what was happening on the ground at the moment.

* * *

..

'Ah... mm mm...'

Ayumi murmured after listening to Keima's account on the situation, which was basically how Shiori's friend was possessed by a Weiss and she was helping him to get the Weiss out of her.

He had left out the part about making Rea fall in love with him deliberately but the two girls, who had experienced what 'saving' meant first-hand, were able to put two and two together to figure out his ultimate goal. That was, the 'capturing' of Konoe Rea.

At least the girls were not in denial and they acknowledged how Keima would have to go to such measures in order to make everything more believable.

'Is she cute?'

Chihiro's sudden and abrupt question made all of them stare at her, causing Chihiro's face to burn up in embarrassment at being the centre of attraction for the group.

'W-Well... not.. that it matters, I'm... just curious... that's all...'

Chihiro didn't want to admit that she was just a little curious about this Konoe Rea person and one of the main reasons for her question was she wanted to know whether Keima was 'choosing' his targets at all.

It had been a small sore spot for Chihiro that in the looks department, Chihiro was ranked among the lowest amongst all of the girls that she knew had feelings for Keima and she grudgingly admitted that it bothered her just a little bit, causing the question to pop out by accident.

As a mention, Chihiro ranked quite highly in the personality department though and in that sense she was similar and could be compared to Fuse Aoba, who was the top in the personality department and low in the looks department as well. Personality can be more important than looks in some instances too! Not that Keima would ever tell the girls that.

That said, Chihiro knew that although she could probably bring that burning question down to the grave if she wanted to, it would be much better for that question to be answered by him eventually.

So was Katsuragi Keima biased about looks at all?

'That question is irrelevant, it is always the 'story' and 'character' that matters, looks are just accessories.'

Keima answered without hesitation and to his benefit, he even looked a little insulted at being asked that in the first place, causing a small blush and smile to appear on Chihiro's face as she listened in satisfaction.

That smile was promptly wiped away though when she saw Ayumi leering at Chihiro with a devious and all-knowing smile behind Keima's back and Ayumi was so amused that she had to cover her mouth to stop herself from giggling out loud at how cute and predictable Chihiro was being.

For Shiomiya Shiori however, hearing that admission from Keima put to rest a claim that she had stated to Nakagawa Kanon and she found herself smiling as well.

..

The athletic girl, Ayumi was happy with his reply as it cemented his position as a boy who was just a little different than the generic and common hormone-crazed boys out there.

Being one of the more popular girls in the school, her claim to fame was that she was one of the only second-year students on the school track team. Takahara Ayumi was also one of the first year 'school flowers' and she had been confessed in more than one occasions from the boys in school.

That said, Ayumi's attraction or focus on Keima had not gone unnoticed by her classmates and she believed that it all began after her 'capture' or had gotten her first kiss taken by Keima. It was an oddity that she wanted to keep from others but Ayumi had retained some of her memories from the capture, at least vague and confusing memories and feelings about Katsuragi Keima and her actions regarding the _Otamegane_ had varied by quite an amount.

This caused her classmates to tease her on that, asking if something had happened between her and Keima. Something _had_ happened but she wasn't sure if she could discuss that amongst her friends after all.

Still, still! All that attention and focus on Ayumi herself had a few benefits and one of those benefits was being able to take the heat away from Chihiro, who shared the same circumstances as she did and the more important one was that she was, in the public's eyes, one of the forerunner in school for Keima's heart just behind Yoshino Asami.

Chihiro was a close friend of hers, and their friendship had gotten stronger after they formed the all-girl band 2B Pencils. To the surprise of most of the other girls, their friendship had not faltered but had even strengthened again after finding out that the two of them had a crush on the same person.

It was hard to explain but Ayumi and Chihiro viewed each other as equals in their quest for Keima. Ayumi was embarrassed to say this but at least she had the courage to say that to herself privately.

She believed Chihiro had made up her own mind regarding that matter and wasn't about to discuss it further with her.

..

'Work hard, Keima-kun.'

Ayumi added to help ease the tension on Chihiro and Keima nodded in acknowledgement to her words.

'Still, that doesn't mean that we approve of you making Shiori cry though, that's really too much.'

'She used eyedrops for that.'

Keima offered as an excuse and Shiori nodded and admitted that one of the reasons she was able to come up with such a convincing act was thanks to Elsi and Haqua assisting her in applying those eye drops when she really needed that extra push.

'W-Well... I... did cry a little... I.. I didn't like... lying to Rea or myself...'

Shiori meekly offered to even out the odds between the girls and him over at the expense of Keima but the two of them turned to look at Shiori at her last words.

'Or 'myself'? Shiori...'

Chihiro was the first person to confront her about that and the timid girl gave a squeak of surprise at being called out on that.

'Are you hiding something from us, Shiori?'

Looking at her disapprovingly, Ayumi reached out to hold her hands even as Keima sighed while explaining that all had not gone according to _his_ script. Keima placed emphasis on the 'he' for a reason as all of the girls knew that Keima was methodical to a fault and everything he did had a reason for it.

Sure, there might be times when the **real** interfered with him but more often than not, his estimations were all accurate and warranted. If Shiori did not follow his plan, that would mean that whatever Keima had planned, it was in jeopardy by Shiori.

'Ano...'

Shiori seemed to shrink under the combined gaze of the two girls and after much coaxing from the three of them, Shiori admitted to Ayumi and Chihiro that she had ended up being a love rival instead of falling out of the competition like he had asked her to.

To her surprise though, the two girls didn't seem too perturbed by that and Ayumi even giggled a little while Chihiro just sniffed in acknowledgement.

'Ah well, that's to be expected~ Shiori can't be perfect. Keima-kun you should have seen that coming!'

'Mm... I think I'll do the same thing, Katsuragi. You can't expect a girl to just give up like that, it won't be realistic.'

'That's true... I admit that at least...'

Nodding his head at the girls' words, Shiori seemed to feel happier at that and she told Keima that Rea would like to speak to him before school ended.

'A-Actually.. s-she wanted to speak to you now... b-but I told her that I asked first...'

Shiori admitted with a full on blush and was subsequently slapped on the back by Chihiro, telling her that was the way to go.

'You have to be aggressive to stake your claim, Shiori! Don't be afraid of her! Fight!'

Cheering her on, Chihiro was embarrassed when the school nurse told them to keep it down.

'Sorry!'

..

The girls and Keima spent some time speaking with each other about what Keima was going to do later on and the other two had lots of ideas to chip in as they sat on the bed. Shiori wasn't feeling that well, or at least she had said so and from her flushed cheeks, Keima was tempted to say that it was a case of 'chronic blushing' but he wisely kept his comments to himself as Shiori looked embarrassed enough as it was.

'Konoe-san would definitely want to sort things out with you, Katsuragi. So if you want to keep pursuing her, you need to tell her straight off the bat that you like her.

'That's not right, Chihiro, Keima-kun don't listen to her... One should play a little hard to get at times, that's why Chihiro's confession always fails... hehe~'

Ayumi giggled and laughing as Chihiro tickled her in response to her words and Keima was relieved that the two of them were able to joke about something that he knew was a sore spot for Chihiro in general.

'B-But... I agree with Kosaka-san... Katsuragi-san should... tell Rea that you liked her. I-it's best... or she w-won't think that I spoke with you at all.'

Making an important observation, Shiori blushed when Keima petted her head to praise her even as Chihiro elbowed Ayumi for interrupting her.

'What did I tell you? In love, one should always make an initial impact, desho?'

Winking at Keima, Chihiro blushed too when Keima nodded in affirmative and petted her like a child too.

'I-I'm not a child! Katsuragi, stop treating me like one!'

Raising her voice again, Chihiro was once again chided by the nurse and she fell silent for a while before continuing.

'A-Anyway... like Shiori said, it's best if she says that Keima had heard of everything from her. That would save some time right? After that you should just confess to her again...

'Why's that? Why should I do that again when I have my impression made earlier?'

Blinking as Keima popped the question to Chihiro, he was amused to see Chihiro stutter while trying to figure out an answer. It was _his_ capture but it was amusing in its own right to see the girls come up with their own methods and ways in _capturing._ Well, girls are girls after all and despite girls and woman in general being one of the world's greatest mysteries, one can counter a girl's confusing thoughts with another girl's opinion. Not that it's fool proof, mind you.

'The correct answer is that I would want Konoe Rea to take me seriously. Up till now it could still be possible for doubts to linger in her mind. Confessing to her immediately after meeting her makes not only a very big impact on her but would also carve into stone the current situation.

That said, I apologize again for getting you into this, Shiori.'

Nodding as Shiori said it was okay, Keima asked them to suggest scenarios that would happen after that. It was testament to the theory raised earlier as the three of them came up with some surprising and plausible scenarios like Rea running away from him to hide herself from embarrassment (Ayumi), that she would reject him immediately while asking her to go out with Shiori (Chihiro) or that she would say that she have someone that she liked (Shiori).

..

'All of those points are possible, but I would think that Chihiro has got the right answer again. That would be the most natural response to expect from her seeing that she is the third party in one of her friend's relationships. I'm sorry Shiori but in all of honesty I expect the same outcome even if you had dropped out willingly. If Konoe Rea was a true friend, she would never want to go out with me. My duty now is to change that mindset of hers. Still, I admit that with your words it would be a little bit easier to persuade her in the end.'

Nodding his head in understanding as he threw the question back to them while asking:

'Well now, I wonder if those endings are what the three of you desire to see rather than possible scenarios. It seems that only Chihiro was truthful... at least most of it as I would assume that was the most obvious answer considering all that we have discussed so far.'

Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** was found by the school nurse to be assaulted by pillows 5 minutes later on.

* * *

**Author's Notes: I will be updating MW's twice per week after this chapter. So look forward to it, and please, submit a review below as well!**


	10. Confessions

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 10: Confessions**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: For those who are interested, I PASSED MY DRIVING. So I'll be taking a few days break to play School Days HQ for my Yandere Fix for Kanon while I drop this chapter on you guys~!**

**Yes, I do understand that's for AZ, but AZ's updating schedule is stricter for MW's so there.**

**Again, thank you ****_Wolf's Honour and AAAKira _****for the excellent beta-edits!**

* * *

**..**

'I like you.'

Katsuragi Keima said that to Konoe Rea and just like how Chihiro had said it would end up, she smiled sadly and said that she couldn't accept his feelings.

'… You heard from Shiori... right? I am sure that Katsuragi-san is a wonderful person just like how Shiori said you are... she told me all about you and... if... if Shiori didn't like you or confessed to you... then I'm sure that I would be happy to hear that from you.'

Tilting her head slightly to the side, Rea admitted that being confessed to was embarrassing and although she thought that this would happen, all the preparation was for naught as she was still nervous at being alone with a boy.

After surprising him in the hallway, Rea had wanted to take him to the cafeteria where they could sit down for a small chat but Katsuragi Keima had other plans as he led her to an empty classroom instead.

There, he had introduced himself to her more formally and it was just like how Shiori had remembered him, an honest and polite person who had helped her out of the pinch.

It was the first time that she had taken the liberty to take a better look at him as well and if one could make him lose the glasses, Rea could say that he was quite cute as well.

Rumours of how many girls liked him aside, Konoe Rea was certain that he was a nice person at heart if he could make Shiori fall for him so deeply.

It hadn't been too difficult to find out more about Katsuragi as no matter who she talked to, Rea realized that he was quite a famous or infamous person with a large and varied back story and history within the school.

There were so many variants of the rumours surrounding him that he could be considered one of the 7 Great Mysteries of Mai-High and the more she researched, the more curious and intrigued she became.

Katsuragi Keima was either the game-loving nerd also known as the _'Otamegane'_**, **a notorious playboy who had broken many hearts around the school or a very popular person who liked to shy away from the limelight.

The most obvious and startling rumour that was going around was that he was actually the not-so-secret crush of more than a few of the most eligible single girls in the school, with him none the wiser about their crush on him.

Well, Rea knew that he knew at least one person who had a crush on him and that girl, Shiomiya Shiori had just confessed to him.

Knowing that such a famous person was interested in her, someone who rarely if ever stepped into the limelight, made her want to know the one million-dollar question.

..

'I would like to know one thing though... why, why do you like me? Did I do something for you before?'

Yes, that was the thing that didn't quite fit no matter how she looked at it, there was no reason for him to like her at all if they had not met at all prior to that incident a few days ago. It was like he was just giving an excuse to Shiori for not accepting her, but that wasn't the truth, was it?

'There's no reason for why I like you, Konoe-san.'

'Eh? EHH?'

As he grabbed her hands suddenly, Rea felt her face heat up again as he leaned closer, his eyes staring at him while she stared back, not daring to blink in case he did something that she would never forget or forgive.

'There's no way I could put into words what I feel for you, Konoe-san... but if you must know...'

He looked awkward and so cute and vulnerable as he looked down but as he turned to look at her again, Rea felt her breath being taken away at how serious he looked as he spoke softly.

'I saw you once, while you were heading back home... it was then that I believed in love in first sight... Konoe-san... No, Rea.'

It was all that Rea could take as he leaned closer again, his features all that she could see and she hurriedly shoved him away before telling him that she will talk to him again.

'I... I get it! I.. I get it... K-Katsuragi-san.'

'No, please call me, Keima, Rea.'

'U-Uhh.. A-Alright, Keima-san then... w-we'll talk again! B-But for now, I won't accept your feelings. Please, do consider Shiori too!'

Rea blabbered before she practically fled from the room, leaving a disappointed Keima who just snorted a little while pulling his PFP out in contemplation of what had just happened.

'… I guess Ayumi and Chihiro won that round.'

* * *

..

'H-He.. r-really is a player after all...'

Rea commented to herself as she looked behind her to make sure that the boy was not following her at all. His actions had really shocked her and she vowed to never let him have the initiative again as she had been unable to reject him at all.

'Now what should I do?'

Looking around gloomily as she realized that she would have to take the long way home if her father was there at the front gate.

'Ah...'

Realizing that she had totally forgotten about her family problems the whole day thanks to Shiori and the boy named Katsuragi, Rea smiled sadly as she wished that she didn't have such family problems at all.

It'd be nice to just to go to school every day without worrying about that problem or about how her mother had very strong opinions on what she could and could not do. She had forgotten how much she disliked it but it turns out that she had just gotten numb over the years and was seeking excuses for herself.

Just a few days ago she had been the perfect daughter for her parents, heading back to school every day as was her daily routine. Life was less complicated then but as she realized later on, it was in black and white.

After her father had returned to see her, it had seemed like she was the frog in the well and her father was the one who was looking over the edge of the well to look at her.

His reappearance had been the catalyst for her to meet this Katsuragi Keima, the person that apparently had a crush on her that she had not even realized. What made the day seem longer and unbelievable was how Shiori had confronted her about that fact after she confessed to him. In the span of three days, Konoe Rea dared to say that more things happened to her than the entire few months before that and it seemed like a very bad soap opera.

Sadly enough, Rea didn't really mind at all as it beat the life she was living before that. Was she thankful? Or was she just disappointed in her own life?

Rea didn't really know... but one thing was certain and that was that she never felt more alive than she did today.

Being confronted by Shiori, having to comfort the poor girl, accepting her challenge for love and of course, being confessed to were all experiences that she didn't want to forget.

Even while she was arguing with her father the day before, Rea didn't feel that much energy of emotion as she did earlier.

'… What... do I really feel about my family?'

Rea asked herself as she stepped out of the school compound to bump into no one else but Shiomiya Shiori.

'Ah... Rea.'

* * *

..

It had been a while since he was so direct with his capturing target and he mused that the last time he did that was when he tried to capture Fuse Aoba and although the situation then differed to now, it was this reaction that Keima wanted Rea to have.

There was really no point in dragging out the confession and his reason for liking him as love truly has no reason to exist. The phrase: 'love in first sight' was so clique that no one could count how many times that line has been raised throughout the world and he certainly wasn't the last one to use that.

For Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God**, there must always be reason for everything and the reason for that vague reason was that there was no need for him to explain himself further.

When Rea appeared panicked, he had decided on this line to throw her off her question of why he had liked her as there was no time for him to fabricate an encounter that involved her in a positive light.

By pressuring her with his presence he had achieved his twin goals of making his presence more known in her heart as well as crushing any hopes of Rea shaking off Shiori's challenge and of course her claims.

This was a real confession and although Keima had no plans to continue on with the façade if she had ran away, Keima would have continued to give her a kiss if Rea had stayed there. By staying there, she was hinting and telling him that it was alright to take her, to kiss her.

If she did however, there would be other implications and Keima was glad that she had bolted. That said, he knew the girls who had been spying on him wasn't that amused by his actions and he opened up a window for the two demon girls to enter the room.

'… Thash.'

Haqua only had that word to describe him and he merely shrugged while Elsi asked him if he was doing well with the capture.

'Yes, we made progress... although I had to take such drastic measures. I'm sure that it would only serve the purpose of showing to Rea that there is no way she could back out of this challenge easily.'

Nodding in understanding, Elsi asked Keima whether they would be pursuing Rea again now or would be going home now. It wasn't that common for Keima to trigger more than one event a day.

'Shiori-chan told me that she'll be waiting for Rea outside like you told her to...'

But to Elsi's surprise he nodded his head and said that he'll go after her now.

'Well, I should have chased her then but I was hoping to make sure that Shiori was with her now. So is she?'

Turning to Elsi who nodded her head and reported that they didn't see Rea's father around as well, causing Keima to frown in concern.

'He is not here? Has there been any changes in the setting? I would have expected him to be present as I need his help... no matter, we'll try to introduce ourselves to him later on. From what we've seen a day before, he is at least approving of me.'

'I wonder why...'

Haqua asked out of the blue but she looked away and refused to say a single word even when Elsi asked her what was wrong.

'Well it doesn't matter. Let us meet up with Shiori now.'

Or so Keima declared, but their plan was derailed when they heard a familiar scream coming from the front gate and the three of them looked at each other before they ran towards the direction.

'That's Shiori's voice!'

..

If Elsi was right, something must be really bad for the quiet girl to shriek that loudly and Keima did not hesitate as he pushed open a window while barking orders.

'Fly us there now, Elsi! Haqua, you look for help... Fuse would be perfect but Asami would do. Meet up with us after you find her! Go, now!'

Haqua did not question his orders and she took off even as Keima and Elsi dropped from the window and flew over there immediately.

'Did you tag Shiori? What's going on, Elsi?!'

'She's not responding, Kami-Onii-sama! I know she's crying though, she's crying out Konoe-san's name!'

'Curses, now what!'

* * *

..

_'Shiori... H-Hi...'_

_Greeting her lamely as Shiori smiled at her, the two of them didn't move from their spots till Shiori asked if she could walk home with her today and Rea agreed without thinking about it. Perhaps she was just happy that she wouldn't need to face her father alone? Either way, Rea found herself walking to the school gate together with Shiori and although she had done so on numerous occasions after library duty, Rea never remembered it being so awkward before._

_'Erm...'_

_Trying to find a topic to talk about, Rea looked to her side to see Shiori looking back at her nervously too and despite herself, she looked away as well. It seemed like this was going to be a long road back home._

_'… Rea.'_

_At least she thought so when Shiori suddenly spoke up as they neared the school gate and Rea started a little as she was just a bit tense, looking all around for her father when she spoke up._

_'Yes, Shiori?'_

_'… How did it go with Katsuragi-san?'_

_As she expected, the conversation turned to Katsuragi after all and she shrugged her head while looking around again to hide her nervousness. When she had told Shiori that she wanted to speak to him, Shiori had been extremely protective and said that she had dibs and she would explain the situation to him, which was exactly she wanted to avoid._

_Rea had hoped that it was a dream before but now that he had confessed to him, she couldn't just pass it off as a joke any more._

_'… Do you really want to know, Shiori?'_

_Smiling at her in a teasing manner, Rea was taken aback when Shiori nodded her head urgently and her facial expression told Rea that Shiori was dead serious and dead set in getting an honest answer from her._

_'He confessed to me, Shiori. I'm so sorry'_

_'…'_

..

_For Shiomiya Shiori it had been an emotionally draining day and it wasn't an exaggeration to say that she felt that she had exhausted almost all her vocabulary or allocated words for a whole year within a single day._

_Shiori was also exhausted after playing such an emotional draining role and what made it worse was how Shiori could relate to the girl that she was acting out as. She just hoped that it was not a practise session for what would happen in the future together with her friends._

_It was difficult to place what her relationship with the other 'captured' girls were but Shiori knew deep inside her that eventually they would stop being so friendly with each other. It was fate or if Shiori would like to say, it was inevitable for them to eventually treat each other as enemies._

_Love... is such a confusing thing and one that can drive people to do crazy things, like what she did today when she deviated from Katsuragi-san's script and instead of dropping out, became Rea's love rival._

_Again, Shiori hoped that it was not just a rehearsal for what would happen in the future but alas, she knew that it was not to be too._

_Either way, it was a tiring day and Shiori knew that the day wasn't over as Elsi-san passed her another script that Keima had prepared for her and after reading it, she now knew that her job was to be a witness to Keima's confession, something that made her heart bleed a little and she had to take a while to brace herself from her own emotions before she agreed to the request._

_It was no doubt a painful process for her and once again, for the third time today, Shiori hoped and prayed that it __**was not**__a prelude to what would come in the future._

_She had to be forceful to help Katsuragi-san as he needed to know what Rea felt about him and even though she had volunteered to help Keima get close to Rea, his every action had hurt her more than she could ever imagine._

_So that's what it felt like to be betrayed and cheated on... huh?_

_.._

**_'He confessed to me, Shiori. I'm so sorry'_**

_It was incredible that three words like that could hurt her so much and before she realized, tears had formed in her eyes and she had to rub them away forcefully while Rea tried to comfort her by saying that she had rejected him._

_That was not the right answer as well and Shiori felt herself get angry at Rea again for she had no idea how much pain and suffering she was being put through thanks to her predicament._

_When Keima had told her that Rea was in danger, Shiori had acted without thinking but now that she did, she was really regretting it. Shiori felt that a part of her would forever be changed after helping him out. Not to mention how she was sure that her friendship with Rea would forever be affected._

_Why would she say such hurtful words to her?_

_'Shiori? I... I know that you don't want me to say that... but I just can't do it. I can't bear seeing you sad and mad at me because of him...'_

_Reaching out to hold her hand, Shiori blinked when Rea held hers firmly and she felt her anger dissipate just a little when Rea said she was sorry for what she did._

_'Please forgive me, Shiori... I don't know what happened but... Katsuragi-san, he didn't give up even after I told him that I couldn't accept him... but I know that Shiori is stronger... let's work together to make him love you too, would that be okay with you?'_

_Her words were like a dream come true and it did make her feel much better despite Shiori knowing that it was exactly what Keima had warned her about. The script that she had been provided with had told her that there was a high possibility that she would suggest that and he had told Shiori that no matter what, she had to refuse her offer at all costs._

_'Y-You... would?'_

_Shiori was unable to listen to Keima's words and would anyone blame her at all for doing so? It was literally asking someone to willingly give up her love for someone else to save that person. Blood might be thicker than water but when it comes to love, there was no holding back after all._

_'Mm... I would, I will do everything I can to help you, Shiori, it's a promise!'_

_Shiori didn't have the heart or the willpower to say no to her and she nodded her head and thanked Rea for her help from the bottom of her heart._

_Even if it was just a lie, even if it was just an act, a girl can dream right?_

..

_At least, that's what Shiori thought as the two of them started to walk across the pedestrian crossing while speaking about their plans together, right before a car barrelled down towards them while trying to beat the red light._

_'SHIORI!'_

* * *

**Author's Notes: Cliff hanger FTW. Anyway, I need to stress that ****_Sankarea_**** has no connection to this fic at all! I'll explain this at the end of the capturing Arc. I shouldn't have added Sanka in the mix, yeah?**

**Anyway, another thing to note is to: '****_CHECK OUT MY OTHER CROSS-OVER STORY FOR TWOGK._****'**

**It won't disappoint! And one last thing. R&R Please! If all the followers drop one, I'll be a happy camper!**


	11. Twists

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 11: Twists**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: This chapter is brought to you with the help of ****_Wolf's Honour and AAAkira. _****Thanks guys!**

* * *

..

Konoe Rea, age 17 and a student of Mai-High. Her three sizes were a secret and quite recently, around 10 minutes ago, she had just been confessed to.

It was embarrassing to admit that she had been confessed by the crush of her one of her close friends, making it extremely awkward.

She had asked herself why her then and, of course, why did she feel a little happy at being confessed by _him_ as well. It just didn't make sense but she supposed that that being her first confession and all that meant a lot to her.

It was just saddening and depressing to know that it was going to be her last confession as well.

Rea was glad that Shiori had finally relented and said yes to her assistance in shipping the two of them together. Sure, Katsuragi was cute and had his way with words, not to mention dedicated but he deserved someone better, someone like Shiori who would appreciate and give him back the love and affection that he deserved.

Rea was sure of that as the shy and timid girl had challenged her to an even duel for her love and as laughable as it might seem, Rea hadn't the heart to say no, just like how she hadn't the heart to try and take Katsuragi from her.

Even if he was growing on her just a little.

But it was times like this that Rea wanted to be free from it all; not only did she have to worry about her family, the decision that would change her life as she knew it, Rea had to help her friend to gain the love of someone who liked her.

Rea had said that her life was like black and white and was happy at how her life was picking up this few days but that feeling of happiness and euphoria evaporated when she remembered the other matters that she had to work on as well.

It wasn't just those important things that Rea had to contend with, it was her revision when she returned home, the piano lessons, the extra homework that she was given by her mother... and everything else.

Yes, all those stressful events like her family issues had been pushed out of her mind by the new events and she was thankful for the distraction as if offered her a new outlook in life that she forgotten after the dreary and repetitive lifestyle that she had led.

But in the end, it had not saved her from them and the new events only compounded her problems by adding to her woes and list of things to be done.

..

So that's why when she saw the car barrelling down at them, Rea's immediate reaction was to push Shiori away, her first instinct was not to save her as others would imagine but purely because she didn't want to be there, didn't want to face what would eventually come to her.

It was a coward's way out, not to mention suicidal but Rea was too confused at the time to care about the consequences of her act. Her parents would be devastated, not to mention Shiori and Katsuragi, the two of them would forever remember her name and what about all her friends and her plans for the future? Didn't she want to travel abroad far far away? All of that would be dashed if she just died then...

Still, what's done was done and as Rea stared down the car as it approached her, frame by frame, Rea's last wish as she closed her eyes was that she didn't want to be tied down like this. She wanted to be free, to do what she wanted and not be tied down by everything around her.

* * *

..

'What happened?! Shiori! Shiori?!'

Rushing to her side when Elsi touched down on the floor, Keima grabbed hold of Shiori's shoulders as the poor girl was crying babbling and clinging on to Rea's motionless body on the ground. Both of them looked alright and although Shiori had a small gash on her knee from where she undoubtedly had fallen on the asphalt floor, Rea however looked perfectly fine, if one neglected to report that she was sprawled out on the ground, totally out cold.

'K-Katsuragi-san!'

Seeing that it was him, Shiori clung to him tightly, her hands wrapping around his body and squeezing him tight for comfort and Keima didn't really blame her, in fact he actually encouraged her to do so as his hands reached behind her, squeezing her a little too to try and calm her down.

'Shiori, calm down... it is alright now... calm down... shh, don't try to talk... look at me, don't try to think for now... take deep breaths Shiori.'

Seeing Keima so concerned about Shiori made Elsi feel happy and at the same time a wee bit jealous at the attention she was getting. That said, Elsi knew this wasn't the time and she huddled around Shiori, waiting for instructions from Keima and after he told her to check on Rea, Elsi took a quick look to confirm that she seemed fine.

'She looks okay, Kami-Onii-sama, are you okay, Shiori-chan?'

Showing her concern for the panicked and crying girl, the two of them was surprised when they heard someone call out to them from the distance. It was Haqua and she brought with her someone that they didn't expect to see.

'W-What... what is the rush...- Oh my goodness, what happened here? Konoe? Konoe?!'

It was Tsukiyo and the look of irritation disappeared when she caught sight of Konoe Rea unconscious in the middle of the road and she hurried over to her. There were curious passerbys gathering around them and Keima made a split second decision to call for an ambulance before more people started gathering.

'Whatever happened before is not important now, right now we should get her to a hospital. Tsukiyo, you're her classmate aren't you? We'll catch up for you later, please... we're depending on you now.'

Looking at the pale girl now kneeling down beside Rea, Tsukiyo blinked before she nodded her head in understanding of Keima's words. It was good as time was of the essence; whatever happened to her could be discussed later on.

'I understand. I'll accompany her to the hospital then. Please, tell me what is going on afterwards.'

Tsukiyo didn't even let go of Luna even when she assured Keima of her cooperation. Although it was going to be difficult for him to explain the situation again, he'd imagine that Haqua had nary a choice if she was forced to bring Tsukiyo out of all the girls to help.

'Haqua, would you mind accompanying her as well? I want to have a contact person over there as well. Please, I'm counting on you'

Even as Keima reported the situation through the emergency hotline, Haqua nodded and stood ready beside Tsukiyo's side even as Elsi and him moved Shiori to the side to calm her down further.

..

'S-Shiori-chan, please, get a hold of yourself...'

Elsi had wrapped her raiment around the poor girl's shoulders and generally provided her with company till Keima heard the tell-tale sign of sirens and he nodded in relief. Even if the two of them had no obvious physical injuries, it would be good for them to see the doctor anyway.

By now many students were gathered around the spot and even a few teachers were present, no doubt alerted to the scene by the students but Haqua was doing a good job in pushing them away, telling them that Rea needed air. They hadn't moved Rea's body at all for fear of broken bones and Haqua quickly directed some paramedics over to Shiori when they arrived.

'We arrived after the incident, the only witness are Shiori and Rea.'

Keima explained quickly while the paramedics nodded and tended to Shiori. As Keima started leaving Shiori's side to check on Rea as well, he found her hand holding onto his shirt stubbornly and pleading with her eyes not to leave.

'… Fine.'

Deciding that he really owed her, Keima sat down with her till the paramedics pronounced that she was fine, if a little shocked at what had happened and had bandaged the gash on her knee but she should still see a doctor if she's worried.

'…'

As Shiori wasn't really up to talking yet, Keima helped the girl up even as Rea was being transferred into the hospital, accompanied by Tsukiyo and Haqua.

'We'll meet with you in the hospital.'

Keima called out and the two girls nodded before they boarded the ambulance and drove off.

'Well then, let's go too.'

* * *

..

It took a while for Shiori to speak again and from how she was still sobbing and sniffing in the cab that they had taken to the hospital, what happened must be quite traumatic for her to talk about so soon.

That said, Keima did persuade her to give her family a call to tell them about the situation and Shiori did so, mumbling over the phone even as Keima and Elsi gave her the privacy she needed to make the call.

'How's the situation over there, Elsi?'

Speaking to Elsi as she tried to communicate with Haqua with her raiment, Keima breathed easier when she reported that Rea was fine and she was just unconscious.

'Haqua said it's odd as there seemed to be nothing wrong with her. She didn't break any bones nor were there any bruises... I think she just fainted because of the shock.'

Elsi seemed to be right this time and Keima nodded before asking her to tell Haqua to scan for the Weiss just to make sure.

'Right, Kami-Onii-sama!'

Even as Elsi tried to contact Haqua, Keima felt someone tugging his shirt again and he turned to see Shiori looking at him before speaking softly.

'… K-Katsuragi-san... I'm so sorry... I... I didn't see the car coming too...'

'There's no need to try and recall now, Shiori... please, rest. Tell me when you're ready.'

Anyone would do that for an injured or traumatized person but for Shiori she didn't deserve that kindness.

'I... I failed Katsuragi-san... and Rea... I was dis-distracted... a-nd Rea had to push me away... I'm so sorry... it's my fault, it's all my fault...'

Bursting into tears again, Keima allowed Shiori to lean against him and to press her face against his chest to cry her heart out even as he tried furiously to think of a reply.

An accident was just that, an accident and it wasn't like Shiori asked that particular car to try and run them down. Keima knew that a well-mannered girl like Shiori would never do something foolish like trying to run across the crossing when the lights was red, not to mention that she was with a friend.

No, it had to be an accident but how can he phrase it in such a way so that Shiori would listen to him?

'It wasn't Shiori-chan's fault.'

Elsi broke his train of thought and he raised an eyebrow to see Elsi stroking Shiori's hair while reassuring her, her large black eyes looking down at the frightened and sobbing girl even as she did so.

'What happened was an accident, okay? There was no way that Shiori-chan or Konoe-san would have known that would happen. Things like that happens to me too~ Like how Kami-Onii-sama telling me that he isn't eating dinner when I had prepared it for him or how Okaa-sama telling me that she has already dusted the tables when I had done half of it...

No one would know what could happen so Shiori-chan, I'm just happy that no matter what happened just now, Shiori-chan and Konoe-san is alright. That is all that I am happy about~'

Giving her a big hug, Keima smiled a little as Elsi's little speech was just what Shiori needed and she hugged her back as well. Shiori had friends to help her through this ordeal just like how he was here as well and, with that support, Keima knew that Shiori would be alright.

..

Just before they reached the hospital where Rea was transferred into, Shiori managed to tell them what had happened. That a car had tried to run the red light and Rea had pushed her out of the way before she could react.

'T-The car... didn't hit her right?... it swerved away at the last minute but I... I couldn't be sure... Rea was on the floor before I knew it and she wasn't moving... I thought for sure that she died...'

'But she didn't, she was fine... she most likely fainted from the shock... but for Rea to push you away like that, she must really like you to do that, Shiori...'

Keima commented and it dawned on the two girls that he must still be thinking about the capture and it made them feel a little complicated at that. He had showed so much concern for the two of them earlier but was that part of his cover for the girls?

It was really a puzzling and important question but they couldn't find the right opportunity to ask him about it as the taxi reached their destination soon after.

* * *

..

It was a while before they met up with Haqua and Tsukiyo, the latter still holding on to Luna outside the ward that Rea had been admitted to and the first thing that Tsukiyo said was:

'Let go of Keima, Shiori.'

It was direct, to the point and said with so much confidence that Shiori just gulped and released her grip on Keima's shirt before blinking in surprise at how Tsukiyo started giggling to herself as she sat down.

'I'm glad to see you are back to normal, Shiori. It must have been a terrible shock to you.'

Tsukiyo said so evenly while Shiori nodded. Keima noted that Tsukiyo has been behaving quite civilly today and he supposed that seeing a fellow classmate being involved in an accident does that to you. He didn't remember the two of them being close friends though but he guessed that was Tsukiyo's way in asking Shiori if she was alright. Tsukiyo had always been quite an unconventional girl with her mannerisms and how she treated others after all.

'Keima, you promised me that you would fill me in. Is there something else you should be telling me besides how the accident occurs?'

It seemed that Tsukiyo had picked up on how odd the situation was if Keima had Elsi and Haqua hanging around him and her friend or she had just heard of the situation from Haqua by accident.

'What is this about a Weiss... is it the same thing that you said possessed me?'

Tsukiyo narrowed her eyes as Keima looked at Haqua unhappily, the demon girl smiling awkwardly as she pulled Elsi away with her to leave Keima with Tsukiyo and Shiori together.

'It is a long story.'

Keima sighed. It was supposed to be an easy capture but with so many complications and so many third parties, Keima wondered if it was even possible to finish this capture at all.

'I have plenty of time, fill me in, Keima.'

Tsukiyo narrowed her eyes slightly before continuing with a much softer tone.

'After all, Konoe is a friend of mine as well.'

That was news to him and he nodded, asking Shiori to take a seat with her while he got them some drinks.

* * *

..

_It was really awkward to be with Kujyo Tsukiyo as Shiori wasn't very close to her. She seemed to be someone nice, as evident by her showing concern for her but Shiori couldn't really tell what she thought of her. Tsukiyo-chan, as she would like to call her was a very cute girl and she knew that she carried herself differently too from the formal way that she talked and how she interacted with the other girls._

_Surprisingly blunt and direct was her style and even Keima was no exception as she called him by his given name instead of his family one like the others. But at the same time, she was a little insecure and childish at heart, Shiori remembering the stories that Asami told her of how she and Tsukiyo got into a quarrel before._

_She was an odd girl, one of many that Shiori was friends with but never had she spent time with her alone, another first that she would have to take note of._

_'You are friends with Konoe, is that right?'_

_Tsukiyo broke the silence first and from the amused look she had when Shiori nodded immediately, Shiori realized that perhaps to Tsukiyo, she was just a clumsy girl and her face reddened even more as Tsukiyo continued._

_'Konoe is a friend of mine as well. I am appalled to think that Keima would ask you for help instead of asking me... count yourself to be extremely fortunate'_

_Sniffing to herself, Shiori now knew that Tsukiyo was in the loop of things. Perhaps Rea had asked her for advice? She didn't know that Tsukiyo and Rea were friends... well, she did know that the two of them were in the same class together with Aoyama Mio. Maybe Class 2-A was filled with children of the upper-class; Shiori knew and heard of more than one established and prominent families' children were in that class ranging from Aoyama to the Goido family._

_Thankfully for her, a nurse approached the two of them moments later, informing them that visitors are now allowed for Rea._

_'Are you two friends of Konoe-san? We tried contacting her mother but her phone is turned off... Do you per chance know her father's whereabouts?'_

_Before Shiori could reply, Tsukiyo answered that her parents were living separately and that she would try to contact her mother on her behalf later._

_'That'll be nice of you. Well, would you like to see Konoe-san now?'_

_Smiling at the two of them, the nurse showed the two of them into the ward that Rea was in and judging by how it was a one-person ward, Shiori realized that Rea must be from quite a well-off family to be admitted into one so quickly._

_'I was the one who verified her identity.'_

_Tsukiyo whispered to Shiori and the timid girl nodded in understanding as they sat beside Rea while the nurse pulled apart the curtains for them._

_'There is nothing wrong with Konoe-san so she should be waking up soon. She must be happy having such good friends who are willing to visit her and accompany her to the hospital... I wonder what her parents are thinking.'_

_Shiori blinked as Tsukiyo commented that it was complicated abruptly, which promptly killed the conversation as the nurse excused herself from the room._

_'It is indeed troubling... I would try to contact Konoe-san now. I hope that she is available...'_

_'Hai...'_

..  
..

_The two girls just sat there, waiting for Keima's return till they saw Rea stirring in her bed and they turned to greet her._

_'Rea! Rea, are you alright?!'_

_'I am relieved... you seem to be fine...Konoe?'_

_The two girls froze as they watched Konoe Rea sit up in her bed, stretching and yawning before greeting them in return._

_'Ow.. t-that hurts... Ah, Tsukiyo, Shiori! What happened? The last I saw was that car... wait, what's wrong? You two looked like you saw a ghost.'_

_Rea laughed awkwardly as she stretched more, unaware that for the two of them, they were really seeing a ghost as Konoe Rea's body was still on the bed. The other Konoe Rea, the spiritual apparition(?) of her looking and smiling at them like nothing was wrong._

_'S-Shiori... please, fetch Keima immediately.'_

_'H-Hai!'_

_Watching as Shiori scuttled off, Tsukiyo was surprised at how cool and collected she was with the situation. In a way, it mirrors what she had gone through the last time, what with her shrinking down to the size and all but this one was certainly bizarre and Tsukiyo found herself a little relieved that Keima was helping her friend out._

_'Konoe.'_

_Pointing at her, Tsukiyo told her to keep calm while Shiori was fetching Keima but she had to smile a little when Rea turned red and asked her why did she do that._

_'I... I told you right, Tsukiyo? He was going to confess to me, wait, he did confess to me...'_

_Looking down, Tsukiyo admit that she felt a little annoyed at hearing that Keima confessed to yet another girl but she shrugged off those traitorous thoughts before pointing the oddity out to Rea._

_'Look at yourself, Konoe. This is not an ordinary situation at all.'_

_When Rea did, an ear-piercing scream could be heard throughout the hospital even as Tsukiyo covered her ears, anticipating that._

_'As I mentioned earlier, not ordinary or elegant at all.'_

* * *

_**Author's Notes: Things happened... so I'm not in that of a good mood. Plus, Progress with the fanfics have been subpar at best for the past week.**_

_**Encourage me by dropping a review or two!**_


	12. Oddity

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 12: Oddity**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: No AZ, but you get MW's instead. Again, this chapter is thanks to ****_Wolf's Honour and AAAkira._**** Thanks guys!**

* * *

..

This was certainly an oddity, and as Haqua remarked, surely a work of the Weiss possessing Konoe Rea as other people couldn't see the spirit-form of Rea at all. Keima got a free pass as he was a member of the Weiss capturing squad while Shiori and Tsukiyo sorta got a pass due to how they were 'captured' girls before, which might have resulted in them being imbued with some of the leftover power of the Weiss.

Shiori could still remember all of the books that she had read, for example, and there might still be the possibility that Tsukiyo had retained some of the Weiss's powers, although Keima reasoned that he should never expect her to be able to shrink at will.

'W-What's happening to me? Am I dead?'

Rea asked nervously as she sat beside her 'sleeping body' even as Keima and the other two girls watched on nervously. She was terrified but was comforted by how calm Tsukiyo and Katsuragi was, it seemed like they were familiar with the situation and after Katsuragi reassured her that she was still 'alive' her body anyway, Rea was able to calm down a little and resist from the urge to try and re-enter her body by lying on top of it.

Well, it was fun and interesting to know that it didn't work but right now, Rea just wanted to know what was going on! Why did she end up like that? Had her spirit left her body and was she experiencing an out-of-body experience?!

Anxious as she was, Rea couldn't help but feel a little curious at why Tsukiyo and Keima and of course, in extension, Shiori was not making as much of a fuss than she thought they would. Tsukiyo for example had made her sit beside her own body after the fifth time she tried to enter her body, saying that it was not befitting of her.

'_You aren't making yourself beautiful or elegant in anyway, Konoe. Now please, sit down while we consult the doctors.'_

Tsukiyo seemed cross at Rea making a scene and she nodded meekly just as a doctor came in to check on her.

* * *

..

It turned out that Katsuragi was right, there really was nothing wrong with her (at least physically) and they left together with Tsukiyo, who said that she'll try to contact her parents again.

It was a relief to have her friend with her, even though she was embarrassed to find out that Tsukiyo had told Shiori everything, about how she had spoken to her about the matter and that Keima had confessed to her.

Shiori never said anything about the challenge being a secret and so Rea had confided Tsukiyo, another friend of hers that had similar family problems. Unlike her though, Tsukiyo was someone who had no lingering attachments to either of her family members but she understood what she was going through and had been more than willing to lend a listening ear to her about her problems.

She had been confused about how Tsukiyo seemed to be a little worked up at her story but now she knew why: Tsukiyo knew Katsuragi personally. That was something surprising as Tsukiyo was never known to have lots of friends and Rea thought that she was her only friend in school.

'Ano... Rea...'

Speaking up at long last, Shiori walked towards her and bowed to her, much to her confusion and her protest.

'Please forgive me... it's my fault... all my fault, I... I didn't pay attention so... so please...'

Reaching out to hold her hand, Rea was surprised to see that she could hold her hand and could even feel it as well, something that made Shiori's eyes widen in surprise before tears started welling up just before she hugged her tightly.

'I'm so sorry, Rea! I'm sorry! I.. I really am sorry, I thought that you'll die just because of me, just because of what I didn't do! I'm sorry!'

As Rea tried to calm her down, she was disturbed to see Keima looking at them in shock before composing himself again and rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Didn't he care about Shiori at all? How could he be so inconsiderate to a person who liked him?! How did Shiori fall in love with someone like this anyway!

..

'That's odd.'

Keima spoke out suddenly as he too reached for Rea's hands and although Rea tried to pull away from him, he persisted to try and touch her hand only for his hand to pass through her like she was a ghost. Wait, she was a ghost of some kind... it's really confusing.

'Hmm... Rea, could you try to touch my hand?'

'Now isn't the time for this, Katsuragi, can't you read the mood?'

Being more than a little annoyed at how insensitive Keima was, Rea was taken aback when he said that now wasn't the time to talk about such trivial matters.

'I apologize, Shiori but the apologies would have to be said later... or rather, her replies to your apologies would have to be given later. Right now we should try our best to figure out the current situation. Your parents are likely to be on their way, wouldn't you want some answers to be given just in the event that they were able to see you in this state?'

Katsuragi had a point and Rea nodded even as Shiori nodded and moved away from her. It disturbed her a little to know that Shiori was so obedient and faithful to the boy but Rea hadn't a choice in the matter as there was no one else who she could rely on.

'Hmm... you are incorporeal and only selected people can see or touch you. I apparently can't... we can assume that there is a level of control you can have with your corporeality seeing that you can still walk on the floor and can't walk pass solid objects. Well at least we know that Rea must try to avoid crowds... I assume that you wouldn't want to create panic by being creating more ghostly sightings.'

Keima's weak attempt at a joke garnered smiles from the two girls that were present and he nodded in understanding as he continued the experiments, pinching Rea's body's hands to see if she could feel anything.

'I do... so I guess whatever I am right now is linked to my body, huh?'

'That seems to be the case... well, now that we know the facts we should avoid trying to move your body... would that be a problem? You are currently in a 'coma' after all and although I think that it would be best for you to stick around with your body, I'm sure that you wouldn't want that.'

It was like he read her mind and Rea blushed a little as she nodded.

'Yes... I wouldn't like it if I'm kept here... I would go crazy! A-Anyway, do you have any idea of what happened to me? Is this an out-of-body experience? Am I a ghost?'

'I highly doubt that you are a ghost.. rather, we should investigate why Shiori, Tsukiyo and I could see you while the nurses couldn't. Perhaps only people close to you can see you... You should probably think about what you wish to tell your parents when they arrive if that was true.'

It was only logical and Rea nodded her head while Keima looked down at Rea's body on the bed thoughtfully. To others, Konoe Rea was still unconscious and asleep in the bed with a peaceful expression on her face.

With this development it would be tricky to continue with the capture, or would it? There seemed to be another way to fill the gap in Rea's heart, or at least gauge what she felt about the situation.

'W-Would you mind, Katsuragi? It's embarrassing for me if you keep staring at my body you know... especially when I can see you do that.'

Keima blinked and then blushed as he was caught red-handed by Rea and he coughed to hide his embarrassment.

'W-Well... I should leave the two of you alone. Excuse me, Shiori, Rea...'

Bowing to them, Keima left the two girls together before walking towards the two demon girls who had been observing the situation thanks to their raiment.

* * *

..

'It must be the Weiss, there could be no other explanation for this happening.'

Haqua reported without hesitation and Keima agreed with her, seeing that it was impossible for ghosts to exists.

'She isn't a ghost too. I've seen them and ghosts only appear when people die, right? Konoe-san isn't dead... she just couldn't be,'

Elsi pouted while stating that and although Keima had his doubts on her reliability, Haqua backed her up on that as she explained that it must be the Weiss's powers like what had happened to Tsukiyo before.

'The gap in Rea's heart must be the cause, we'll know later on. Did Tsukiyo contact her parents?'

Keima started when Tsukiyo herself said that she had and she took a seat beside Keima, shooing Elsi away with a stern look before she asked the three of them to continue.

'I suppose this is why you approached her, Keima. I wasn't sure of why you did that when Konoe approached me to discuss a personal issue. Normally I would not have been so... involved in another person's personal issues but when I heard your name as well as Shiori's name being mentioned, I paid attention. So there is something affecting Konoe that is causing this?'

Looking at the three of them, Tsukiyo nodded her head as she determined that it was so from Elsi's guilty look.

'Well then, I hope that Keima has a solution for this. I would... let the fact that you confessed to her slide as long as you promise not to see her again after this incident is over.'

'I have no wish to do so, Tsukiyo.'

Keima answered without hesitating and that brought about a smile on Tsukiyo's face as she nodded in acknowledgement.

'Well then, I will assist in what way that I can, similar to what Shiori has does. My only request is that you do not force me to engage in such frivolous acting like Shiori did.'

Tsukiyo seemed very amused as she said that but even she was surprised when Keima pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and declared his most famous quote all of a sudden.

'I see, I should have realized it sooner. Now I've seen the ending for Konoe Rea. The Weiss will be out in a few days time.'

Smiling confidently, Keima looked at the other three girls and told them of his plan.

* * *

..

_If it was awkward before, that awkwardness was topped by what Shiori felt after Keima left the two girls together and she found herself unable to say a word to Rea at all._

_She had apologized to her for what she had done and from Rea's reaction, she didn't blame her for that incident. It was like Elsi said, an accident but that accident almost killed her! How could she just shrug it off like that?!_

_'He really is a good person, Shiori.'_

_Rea said so suddenly and Shiori blinked while turning to see her looking at the door of the ward._

_'Katsuragi-san... is... yes, a good person.'_

_'.. Mm … Listen, Shiori...'_

_Sounding solemn as she turned to look at Shiori, reaching to hold her hand again, Rea asked her if she had heard anything from Tsukiyo._

_'Tsukiyo...? Kujyo-san... desu ka? No, I hadn't...'_

_'You did know who Tsukiyo was, right? I didn't know you were friends with her... what a small world.'_

_Rea scratched her head thoughtfully while saying that and after Shiori nodded in agreement with her, Rea spoke up again, trying to pull the conversation to another direction while she still could._

_'Shiori... it wasn't your fault... I... I had to admit to you that... I just acted in impulse... I didn't want you to be hurt, Shiori, that's why I did it.'_

_'But... it's my fault for not paying attention in the first place, Rea!'_

_Protesting even as Rea shook her head, Shiori was shocked when Rea admitted to her that it was her who panicked in the first place._

_'I was the one who panicked... I wasn't thinking either but when I saw the car coming, I just pushed you away, Shiori... It... it wasn't going very quickly... s-so... I must have known that it would stop before hitting us... but.. but I … I just.'_

_It was Rea's turn to break down a little and the tables were turned as Shiori reached out to hug Rea instead and when her hands wrapped around Rea's body, Rea felt her entire body relaxed and she squeezed her tightly for comfort as well as strength._

_'I didn't know what came over me, Shiori... perhaps I wanted to die? Was that it? I don't know what came over me... I... I dragged you into this... I'm so sorry... and look at me now, Shiori, I... I may be dead already, you know...'_

_It was a terrifying thing for Rea to face alone and she was glad to have Shiori beside her, even if she knew deep inside that it was just an excuse for her to have her company._

_It was her fault, not Shiori's fault that had gotten her in this mess and she wanted Shiori to know that. For her friend to set her mind in piece if something __**did**__happen to her._

_'I should be the one that is sorry, Shiori... it was stupid of me, and I won't do that ever again._

_'Mm … Rea... y-you're so silly... d-don't say any more...'_

_Shiori wasn't sure what was going on any more but she decided to go with the universal trick of getting out of a confusing situation: to simply remain quiet and nod her head in agreement._

* * *

..

It took a while but when Rea's mother came down to visit her daughter, she was like a hurricane in motion, bursting into the ward and hurrying over to her daughter without a care for the people that were already in the room, namely Shiori, Keima and Tsukiyo.

Elsi and Haqua would be doing work behind the scenes again and although this made Haqua cross, for Elsi it was par the course and she didn't complain about the arrangement at all.  
It was a complex situation for Tsukiyo as she didn't quite approve of Keima's plan when she heard of it as it seemed suspiciously similar to the plan that he had used on her. But as she reasoned, Keima would set this plan into motion anyway and Tsukiyo would rather be overseeing the entire operation herself than being just a spectator.

That said, when Keima told them of what he planned to do, she was suspicious and didn't quite believe him when he told her of the cause of the incident and why Rea was currently like this.

_'Shiori would verify whether my hypothesis and analysis of the situation are accurate later on. No doubt she is confessing to Shiori what had happened earlier.'_

It made her wonder who Keima was to be so confident but Tsukiyo knew that he had always been an enigma, a mind reader. Since she had almost been fooled by him, she knew of his prowess and she agreed to help out.

'Good afternoon, Konoe-san.'

Curtsying to her politely, Tsukiyo caught the attention of Konoe Mai, Rea's mother and she smiled at Tsukiyo before thanking her for accompanying her daughter to the hospital.

Unlike what she had been wearing the first time, Konoe Mai fitted the image of a college professor with her hair done up in a tight bun and dressed in a business suit with a matching skirt that covered most of her legs. What made the image complete was the pair of glasses and the large binder that she carried on her left hand.

Putting her binder down, Mai walked over to shake Tsukiyo's hands in a business like manner to thank her again before looking down at Rea.

The unconscious Rea on the bed that is, the spirit Rea was trying to get her attention by jumping up and down and even trying to touch her mother to no avail.

Rea had actually greeted her mother when she came in, running towards her but her hopes were dashed when she passed right through her mother. If Mai noticed the small look of surprise and regret in Tsukiyo or Shiori's eyes, she dismissed it just as quickly as it disappeared.

It appeared that her mother couldn't even hear her as well and Rea gave up after Tsukiyo introduced her to Shiori as she didn't even look at her direction at all.

..

'Konoe-san, this is Shiomiya Shiori. You should thank her instead as although I was the one who accompanied your daughter to hospital, she is the person who found her first together with Keima over there.'

Blinking in surprise as though she noticed Shiori and Keima for the first time, Mai coughed and offered her hand to the two of them as well.

'Thank you so much, both of you. I assume you are Rea's friends?'

It was no surprise that she wasn't sure what to make of the two of them but at least she was happy with their politeness as the two of them bowed to her respectfully before shaking her hand.

'Y-yes... R-Rea... is in the same club as I am.'

Shiori wondered how Keima would introduce himself to her.

'My sister is a friend of Konoe-san and so I recognized her, Konoe-san.'

'I see... well, thank you, all of you... you must be tired so if you wish to, you can leave. I'll be sure to contact Tsukiyo-chan if Rea wakes up. Rea would need plenty of rest after this after all.'

Smiling at them and hinting that they should leave now, the three of them looked at the spirit Rea before they nodded and took their leave, with Spirit Rea following them sadly.

Before she left though, she apologized to her mother for causing such a mess and followed them out to the corridor.

* * *

..

'W-What are we going to do now?'

Rea asked miserably as they sat down in the cafeteria in the hospital, with Tsukiyo and Shiori together with him as they shared a small booth together.

'Well, first of all I would wish to ask... if you feel insulted by this, please forgive me but it is an important question.'

Keima started suddenly and he seemed to have phrased that question wrongly as the three girls turned slightly red before Keima popped the question.

'Do you feel hungry at all, Rea?'

It was a perfectly innocent and important question and so Keima was a little annoyed when the three girls gave a relieved sigh in unison.

'… What did you think I was going to ask?'

Looking around the table at the three girls who avoided his eyes, all eyes turned to Rea after a few moments and she shook her head.

'Not really... I don't feel tired at all... maybe I'm still linked to my body like what Katsuragi suggested earlier.'

'Then that means that Rea is still linked to your physical body... that's a start... it'll be odd to see something invisible eat a burger, well not us but to others.'

Keima's weak attempt at a joke didn't garner any laughs but they got the picture of what he meant even as Shiori told Rea that she was sorry that her mother couldn't see her.

'I'll try to tell Konoe-san that you're alright later on, Rea... I'll visit you often too.'

'Visit... you often? Shiori, Rea is in front of you now and not bedridden...'

Tsukiyo was the first person to react to Shiori's poor choice of words and this made her smile in amusement again as Keima facepalmed and looked away even as Shiori got a case of chronic blushing again.

'G-gomen! I-I didn't mean that, Rea!'

'It's okay, Shiori... I think no one should blame you for making a mistake... I'm a patient alright, just that I'm a special patient...'

Smiling in resignation at the three of them, Rea thanked them for their help so far.

'I would imagine that I would be freaking out right now but thanks to the three of you, I didn't... '

Rea was burning with curiosity to know why and how they were able to remain so calm when faced with such a phenomenon. It's like they were used to it.

'Ano... Tsukiyo, Shiori... Katsuragi...?'

As the three of them discussed about what to do next, Rea suddenly interrupted them by asking a question.

'Are the three of you a supernatural investigation team after all?'

'What?'

'Huuh?'

'… Pfft...'

Rea couldn't help herself and she laughed along with Tsukiyo even as Keima and Shiori just looked at each other in confusion and then shook her head.

* * *

**Author's Notes: R&R. Is nice. Really!**


	13. Phase II

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 13: Phase II**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Updated as promised.**

**Thank you, ****_Wolf's Honour and AAAKira _****for the beta! And I GOT MY HANDS ON KAMI NOMI VOL. 14 LOCALIZATION! SUPPORT YOUR LOCALIZATION COPY TOO!**

* * *

..

At the end of the discussion, it was decided that Rea should still stay within the confines of the hospital as they weren't sure what was causing the out-of-body experience after all. It would be bad if Rea's body just stopped working because she went too far away from her physical body.

That would be a silly and not to mention stupid way to die and Rea agreed with the rest of them.

'It is perhaps a temporary effect so you should refrain from stepping out of the hospital. Looking back, we have actually taken a huge risk in asking you to leave the room. Shall we go back to have a look at your body? If you feel uncomfortable, you should tell us.'

Keima looked at Rea, who blinked at being addressed, then nodded and said that she understood.

'I did feel something being poked into my arm, right here. I guess the doctors are putting me on a drip or something earlier. Does that mean that they'll be putting me there for observation?'

'Who knows? Well, let's go back to have a look.'

Keina got up from his seat. Rea found herself a little impressed at how Keima was handling the situation; besides being calm and in control, he seemed to be quite systematic and confident in the way that he was leading the discussion.

It was a new side of Keima that she didn't know about and it was really impressive to see. Despite her doubting why Shiori liked him earlier, it was all dispelled when Keima addressed all of them by thanking them for being very understanding despite how odd the situation was.

_'In times of crisis, the most important thing is to logically focus on the important things at hand but at the same time, it is something that people have difficulty doing due to the various human emotions that we all face. I must apologize again for seeming a little harsh and urgent but if we delay this discussion any further, I fear that it would have far-reaching consequences that we would not be aware of.'_

He was very pompous and liked fancy vocabulary, but Rea felt that he truly knew what he was doing and knowing that made her feel much safer and secure.

..

Returning to Rea's ward, they were greeted by Rea's mother who looked simply astonished that they hadn't left and she got up to greet them again.

'Why, I thought all of you would have left. Sadly, there has been no change in Rea's condition at all but the doctors said that she is in the pink of health and she is just in a coma because of shock. I'm sure that she'll wake up soon.'

When Tsukiyo asked on behalf of everyone whether they could stay to be with Rea, Mai, Rea's mother, was a little reluctant, but when Tsukiyo tried again with a pleading expression on her face, she relented and nodded her head.

'Since all of you are so concerned about her, I don't see why not. If you don't mind watching over Rea for me for a while, I'll be right back.'

Keima had noticed that she probably was on the phone before they were invited in; Rea's mother was worried about her daughter but was perhaps torn between her and her work. That was to be expected and Keima had considered that an important part of what would happen next.

What he wanted to do was to have a private moment with Shiori and Tsukiyo to ask Shiori about the incident. If he was right, which he knew he was, the route to the ending was straightforward and easy to accomplish.

'You were right after all, they did put you in a drip. At least they didn't hook you up to a machine, Rea.'

Rubbing his chin as he poked Rea's hand, Keima winced when Tsukiyo told him off for doing that.

'You should not hurt or damage a maiden's skin like that, Keima.'

Sitting beside her own body, Rea agreed and she laughed when Keima started tickling her feet, which resulted in both Shiori and Tsukiyo pulling his ears to make him stop.

..

'Okay, okay, I'll stop! I'm just trying to confirm our theory... ugh..'

It was just a theory but Keima was certain of it as Rea seemed much more relaxed now than earlier, like she was liberated from her worries despite being anxious at her current state. Well, there was only way to find out. For now they spent some time trying different ways to return Rea to her body, like having Shiori try to push Rea into her body physically to sprinkling some salt over Rea's physical body and spiritual body.

None of it worked but they had a lot of fun doing that, at least; Rea had fun seeing them do that as she couldn't stop laughing and smiling at the antics that Keima pulled together with Shiori and Tsukiyo as his partners.

For the most part Shiori was the one suggesting ideas of how to return Rea to her body, Keima tried those methods and Tsukiyo simply criticized them. It was not a stand up comedy but it seemed so to the one person who shouldn't; Konoe Rea, the person who would be the worse off if none of Shiori's idea worked.

And yet... there she was, looking happier than she did in the few days that Keima and the rest had observed her.

* * *

..

'It's not looking well for Rea.'

Konoe Mai never returned to the hospital room at all till two hours later when she burst into the room together with that man that Haqua and Keima had spied and suspected to be her mother's new fling.

Taking the hint, Keima and his party had left while letting Rea out of the room to wait outside the room.

By her own words, Rea had said that she didn't like her mother's new boyfriend and wanted some fresh air. Those turn of events, coupled together with Rea's request that her father be notified of her accident made Keima even surer of his hypothesis.

Keima muttered this to the girls with him as they left the hospital after bidding Rea goodbye.

'It isn't?'

Shiori asked in worry and Keima nodded while looking at the two girls closely while keeping a look out for either Haqua and Elsi, the two of them should be around nearby as well.

'No, but let us hear it, Shiori... we need to know what had happened earlier. Was that really an accident after all?'

With everyone looking at her as they waited for the traffic lights, Shiori took a deep breath and filled them in on what Rea told her, that it _was_ an accident but not the accident that they thought had happened.

Rea had put herself in danger but for what reason Shuori didn't know.

'It is as I expected. I was curious as to why she could have no injuries at all... to faint from shock is just too convenient... the gap in her heart must have widened after I confessed to Rea... unless something else happened before that... Shiori?'

Looking at her again for more information, Keima was surprised to see Shiori fidgeting and looking to the side guiltily and he pressed her again.

'Shiori?'

'Ah... Ano.. w-well...'

It took a while but finally Shiori admitted that she had accepted Rea's help to make Keima fall in love with her, exactly what Keima had warned her not to do.

'… Shiori...'

Keima didn't blame her for that, and seeing how Tsukiyo simply laughed a little at her confession and seemed amused at her bravery, she didn't either.

It was difficult to expect her to say 'no' to that generous offer after seeing her track record with issues concerning him.

'Well at least we know why the gap in her heart widened... she must be feeling the strain at long last. What with her friends and families pushing so much stress and pressure on her, something had to give.'

Keima pushed his glasses up as he waited for the right moment to spring the dramatic effect he wanted before stating quite simply.

'Tsukiyo should understand the situation as it was similar to what she had been going through before. Like her, Rea's family problems might be the catalyst for this whole event. She was unable to decide whether to go with her mother or her father if they have a divorce but the problem was compounded when she was caught in a love-triangle with a good friend of hers.

I admit that it was my error that had caused the gap to grow... but there is no use crying over spilt milk now. The stress and problems that she faced have caused her to harbor a wish to escape from her life, to stop being tied down... and the Weiss helped her achieve this wish by separating her psyche from her body. The key difference between Tsukiyo and Rea is that the situation is much more direr than Tsukiyo.'

Keima's was in his serious mode and with the look of conviction in his eyes, the other girls knew that he believed that theory was the right one.

'What's that, Keima?'

'There is no room for error. This capture, I must not read the cards wrong at all as Konoe Rea's life hangs in the balance. As her body is still functioning, she is not considered dead but since the spirit-form she is now is linked to her body, if the Weiss is captured prematurely or if the Weiss takes over, it could mean certain death for her. Not to mention... I fear that the doctors might try more drastic measures if she does not respond soon. There is no time to hesitate... I would have to chase the Weiss away as quickly as possible. The capture begins anew tomorrow!'

The **Capturing God** declared firmly while the other girls just nodded a little uncertainly. They were not that convinced of Keima's methods but if the situation was as dire as he imagined, perhaps they have no choice but to go ahead with it.

That said, Tsukiyo didn't quite understand what this 'Weiss' that Keima was referring to but if Shiori seemed to be okay or she understood the term, she simply dismissed that thought as irrelevant.

* * *

..

'Ah, it's you, Katsuragi!'

Rea looked happy when he visited the following day. Keima explained that Shiori and Tsukiyo were behind him and he walked over to Rea as she invited him to sit beside her body. It was a weird phrase to use but it wasn't wrong as Konoe Rea's body was indeed where it had been the night before, still on the bed while Rea, the Rea that was talking to Keima was standing by the window, looking out at the streets with a bored expression on her face.

'I never imagined that it'll be so boring here... I can't sleep either; I tried but it just doesn't work and I gave up after a few hours. So I've been awake the entire day watching the nurses and doctors come and take the readings. They did an EEG recording earlier and according to what I overheard what the doctor told my mum, I'm in a state known as a 'deep sleep'. Do you know what that means?'

'I have no idea... but I guess it means that you're still alive and sleeping well?'

Making Rea laugh at his attempt at a joke, Rea sat down opposite of Keima even as he pulled out and displayed a variety of tools ranging from crosses to garlic and, to her amusement, a bottle of holy water in front of him.

'You're going to try an exorcism, Katsuragi? Are you even qualified to do this? What if you banished me instead?'

'Don't say that... I wouldn't do that even if you ask me to.'

Keima snapped back at Rea's attempt of humor and Rea nodded her head, at little taken aback at how fierce he was to her.

'It was just a joke, Katsuragi... you're no fun.'

'Joking about your own life isn't funny, Rea... it never is...'

Looking hurt while saying that, Keima was interrupted from saying more as Shiori and Tsukiyo chose this moment to open the door on the two of them.

'Good afternoon... Rea.'

'Afternoon, Konoe. It looks like nothing has changed at all.'

'Mm~ Thank you for visiting though! It's very kind of the two of you!'

..

Like yesterday, the four of them tried various different methods to try and help Rea again and like the previous attempts, nothing seemed to work. It wasn't for the lack of trying as the three of them tried as many methods they could think of, Shiori providing most of the ideas that she had read up on. However as the day dragged on, the three girls started to tire, Tsukiyo and Shiori especially, even as Keima continued to look up on different ways on how they could help Rea on the Internet.

It wasn't the most reliable of sources but everything was worthy of a try and he never stopped till Rea told him to do so.

'That's enough for today, Katsuragi... I appreciate the gesture, but Tsukiyo and Shiori are tired... you should at least walk them back to the station.'

Keima looked back at Rea to see that although she wasn't tired, she was concerned for her two friends, who were looking a little worse for the wear. Tsukiyo especially as after a few hours of constantly helping out in the weird rituals or chants that they were doing, she had retreated to one corner together with her doll, Luna, to rest and recuperate.

Tsukiyo wasn't the fittest of the girls and due to her small frame and size, it was much harder for her to keep up with the other two . Likewise, Shiori was tired too despite her trying desperately to hide her current condition from the two of them as she was panting ever so slightly as she continued to shake the gohei in front of Rea's sleeping body.

To be honest, Rea was surprised that the three of them weren't kicked out of the room from the racket that the two of them were making while chanting verses from the Bible.

In reality however, Haqua and Elsi were the ones actively making sure that the racket that they were making was not noticed by the other occupants in the hospital and they gave Keima heads up on when the nurses would come and check on Rea.

..

'Thank you, all of you for trying... I guess all we can do is wait... you have school tomorrow right? So it's best if you head back now... my mother might be visiting soon too. So I'll be fine.'

Rea smiled again at her friends and to Katsuragi too as she felt just a little touched at the work he was putting in on her without her asking him to. Sure, she knew that Keima liked her but she didn't think that he would be so dedicated and loyal to her after such an incident happened to her.

Perhaps he just wanted to save her, Shiori's friend... mm, that sounds right.

Rea was disappointed that Keima didn't tell her anything about her father but she supposed that there was a limit to what he would do for her after all.

'I'll walk the two of them back then, Rea.'

Helping Tsukiyo up and taking her bag for her, Keima walked over to Shiori and relieved her of her burden as well.

'Gomen... Rea, we didn't do anything to help again...'

Apologizing to her friend, Shiori blushed and nodded when Rea hugged her to thank her for taking time off to help her anyway.

'You're the best friend anyone could have, Shiori, don't you forget that.'

Rea was a little stumped when Tsukiyo just stomped off without waiting for her to say a word and she realized a little too late that she was probably throwing a little fit of anger at Shiori being called that. She laughed while calling out after her.

'Tsukiyo, you're my best friend though!'

This made Tsukiyo stop for a moment but she soldiered on stubbornly though, with Shiori and Keima quickly following behind her.

..

_'Ah... this is boring.'_

_As she was incorporeal, she couldn't even read the newspapers properly that her mother brought for her and Rea realized that being a ghost or at least a ghost-like form wasn't all that hyped up to be._

_Yes, she was incorporeal, she didn't need to eat and she wouldn't feel tired... but the boredom pretty much blows. There was nothing she could do but to wait and watch the time go by._

_That's why she was so happy when Keima and her friends came to visit her today as the time just flew by as they tried some of the things they researched on that night. Some of them were funny, some of it was ridiculous but Rea knew that they were doing it for her sake and it touched her a lot._

_Having friends like this, spending the days like this every day wouldn't be so bad, would it?_

_'Rea?'_

_Making her jump a little, Rea was surprised to see Katsuragi back so soon and she smiled in greeting even as he walked into the room slowly with his bag._

_He was tired too, that much was apparent from how he kept rubbing his eyes or the can of coffee that he was still carrying that he dumped in the rubbish bin beside her bed._

_'You came back, I thought you'll be heading back as well. You... shouldn't push yourself so hard for my sake, Katsuragi.'_

_Yes, even though Rea knew that he meant well, she could probably guess where his motivations lie in as well._

_'I... I wouldn't... return your feelings even if you continue doing this, Katsuragi... My mind's made up. I'm sorry.'_

_She didn't know why she said that so soon; there could be other opportunities, better ones in the future perhaps after she recovered from this illness, so why did she have to say it now?_

..

_'I'm not doing it to earn any favors, Rea.'_

_His answer stunned her for a moment but she shook her head and replied sceptically even if he looked a little outraged and hurt that she would even suggest a thing. Rea was however, not buying it, at least not completely as she couldn't see any benefits for Katsuragi besides that. He was trying to earn points to win her heart, right?!_

_'If that is not what you are after, why are you doing this? I didn't even ask you to help... c-couldn't you just wait? I... I appreciate you being so concerned and all and perhaps doing this does set Shiori and Tsukiyo's mind at ease... but I want you to consider my feelings too? What, what if I don't want this to end? What if I wanted this in the first place?!'_

_She didn't think that she'd say that to him, she didn't even know when and why these words came out of her mouth but now that it did, Rea couldn't lie to herself or to her frustration at seeing Keima and her friends trying so hard to help her._

_Her mind wasn't in it at all, as a matter of fact, Rea might have even found them to be spoiling her fun._

_It just didn't make sense to her at all! Wasn't she complaining about the boredom and how she couldn't do anything at all?! Wasn't that the thing that was chewing at her all this time?_

_'So...is that what you really want, Rea?'_

_Keima spoke softly but he didn't move, he only looked at her questioningly, asking and perhaps daring her to say that it was._

_'I... I don't know... I don't know, Keima-kun... I don't know... what I want any more... Really...'_

_Konoe Rea shook her head, tears rolling down her eyes as she turned away from him and asked him to leave._

_'Please... I just... want to be alone for now...'_

* * *

**Author's Notes: DO R&R, please!**


	14. Confusion De Fusion

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 14: Confusion De Fusion**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Wolf's Honour and most importantly AKAAkira,_** **for this beta!**

**And a personal thank you to _AznPuffyHair_ for his/her reviews! (I can't really tell...)  
Thank you, once again for your and all of your support!  
**

* * *

**..  
**

'Rea-san, what is wrong with Rea-san, Kami-Onii-sama?'

As Keima dug into dinner to try and replenish some of the energy that he had lost throughout the day, Keima shook his head while telling Elsi that he wasn't too sure himself.

'I've had thought that encounter would result in a scene for me to increase my love points but it seems that there are other things plaguing her as well. Well, it is still within the range of possible errors and deviations and thus it would not affect the capture that much. A day has passed but as we can see, Konoe Rea's emotional state is not stable at all. It could have been the Weiss that is agitating her. Is that even possible at all, Elsi? For a weiss to agitate it's current host to make the gap in her heart bigger?'

'I don't know, Kami-Onii-sama... no one has told me about that... but I guess it makes sense... but it doesn't too, if all the Weiss can do that, wouldn't they be able to be reincarnated quicker?'

'That's true, but like all weapons, it could be a double edged sword like how Rea reacted today. She might have rejected my help but that doesn't mean that she truly desires to stay in that shape. I believe she just said that to try and drive me away. In a way, it is another success as I have cornered her. She could find no other reason to keep me away from her...'

Elsi nodded as she quickly scooped up another bowl of rice for Keima who started on his third bowl of rice. It had been a really tiring day for him as he had been up the whole night and the majority of the afternoon searching and making a list of rituals that he could try and perform for Rea.

No doubt he had no faith in any of those but it serves a purpose of letting him be there together with Rea. He had been able to stave off her question of why he was so interested in helping her and he had done so again today.

Her impression of him was fast rising and affecting her and her actions, as one can see when one considered what Rea had to say to drive him out today.

It had seriously cost her as well as Keima was able to see her own hidden thoughts, something that she herself was also not aware of. The **Capturing God** wasn't letting her take the initiative that easily.

'… It is like I feared, she might have similar dreams to Tsukiyo, in that she desires... to be alone or not to be tied down by someone or something. Most importantly though, I can feel and sense that she does not wish to be indebted to anyone for any reason. She is a stubborn one; not as stubborn as Tsukiyo though.'

Telling Elsi what he thought, Keima sighed when Elsi reminded him that they still had school tomorrow and he should rest when he can.

'Please, thank Haqua for me today...'

'Eh? Haqua didn't come today at all, Kami-Onii-sama, I helped by myself!'

That was indeed a surprise and Keima smiled before praising her as well, a premium as Elsi had been nothing but trouble till now.

'Well then, good job today, Elsi.'

'Eheh~ Arigato, Kami-Onii-sama~'

* * *

..

Konoe Rea, the capture target for this round, was staring at the stars mournfully. What has she said to Keima earlier? That she wished for this to continue, that she wanted this in the first place?

She really wasn't sure why she had said that... was it to drive him away? Or was it an excuse to make all of them leave her?

Rea didn't know as she didn't know what she should be thinking or feeling right now.

She was bored and lonely by herself in this little ward, unable to do anything at all but at the same time, a part of her found peace and she was very happy to have done so even under such circumstances.

The two sides of her continued to struggle with each other endlessly and till the end, she couldn't find an explanation for why she felt so torn.

'… I just want to be free, to do what I want... instead of being told what to do.'

Putting a hand on the window and smiling wistfully as her hands passed through it, Rea spoke of her wish even as she recalled what had happened earlier.

..

_'So there's still no change in her condition?'_

_'Unfortunately not, it's best if we continue to observe her, Konoe-san. This is a first even for us as from the EEG reading; your daughter should be awake as the levels were consistent of a person who is awake and active. We could consult another specialist and ask for his opinion.'_

_'Please do that, cost is not a worry at all. Please, help our Rea.'_

_'We will do the best we can.'_

_Making no promises, the doctor in charge of Rea left and when he did, Konoe Mai's partner, the middle-aged man that was currently seeing her walked over and put his hands over his shoulders._

_'So how is Rea doing?'_

_'There's no change, they'll speak to another specialist and see if he has any insight on the case... My poor, poor Rea...'_

_Squeezing her daughter's lifeless hand, Mai smiled sadly as she brushed Rea's hair for her in front of the spiritual Rea, who averted her eyes in order to avoid seeing how pale and sad her mother was._

_'She'll be fine, don't worry or stress yourself too much...'_

_Watching him put a hand on Mai's shoulders, Rea narrowed her eyes at how he seemed to find visiting her a chore and she was tempted to kick him in the shin if not for the fact that she was incorporeal._

_'C'mon, I made a dinner reservation in town soon and if we don't leave now, we won't be able to make it.'_

_Tugging at Mai after a few minutes of waiting, Rea smiled a little as her mother said that she wanted to stay with her a little longer._

_'Fine then... I'll be outside if you need me.'_

_He got up and left the room as Rea stuck her tongue out at him; good riddance to bad rubbish. Her mother might like him, adored him even, but that doesn't mean that __**she**__ liked him. She detested him as he didn't seem to like the idea of her being around and she had the sneaking suspicion that to him, she was like excess baggage._

_From the way he kept pestering her mum to leave the house for dinner in lieu of a home cooked one and how he seemed to ignore her if possible, Rea knew that she was disliked and that suited her fine._

_'We don't need him at all, Mother...'_

_But of course, her voice didn't reach her mother at all and after a while, Mai left her daughter in the ward while promising that she'll visit later._

_'I'll come back soon dear, please wake up...'_

..

Of course she didn't, not even when the clock struck 11, way past the visiting hours and Rea smiled bitterly as she recalled how happy she had been when her friends and Katsuragi had visited her earlier that day.

It was odd, she felt like she was torn between two worlds. Her desire to be set free, to be alone and how she desired the courage and the strength to make change, to change what had been happening her life so far.

Being with her friends brought courage to her, gave her the belief that she could possibly break out of her black-white world... and I scared her.

As if she tried to embrace that belief, she might lose the chance at the freedom that was given to her now. The pressure and expectations, not to mention the questions that she had to answer were relieved from her shoulder now.

She didn't need to risk it all by going back to her previous life, even if she felt that perhaps now she could change everything.

Not when, if she lost... everything she loved and wanted would be taken from her.

'What... do I do?'

Rea asked herself again before she closed her eyes, trying in vain to sleep.

* * *

..

The next day, it was the same as usual; as Rea didn't wish to put herself in further jeopardy, she stayed in the ward by herself, looking on as her mother finally did visit her again before she left for work, doctors and nurses coming in to change the drip that she was currently taking or taking more measurements of her physical state.

It dawned on her that the longer she stayed at this state, the more stress her mother would have to put up with and she apologized to her just before she left for work.

'I'm sorry for making you worry, mother...'

She repeated herself a few more times but of course her mother didn't hear her at all or even acknowledge if she did.

Surprisingly though, she managed to sleep that night and Rea wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing as the doctors commented that there were changes in her heartbeat when she was asleep.

Was her spiritual state having an effect on her physical body as well?

Rea would like to speculate that further but doing nothing for a long time made one drowsy and she took another long nap in the ward itself till her friends came to visit her again.

..

'Good afternoon, I'm sorry to intrude, Rea...'

'I apologize for intruding, Konoe.'

It was just Tsukiyo and Shiori though and she wondered what expression she had on her face as she welcomed the two of them again. Was it relief or was it disappointment? Rea didn't quite know as she felt those two emotions waging war inside her as her friends sat down beside her physical body.

'Has there been any change?'

'Well, I slept quite a lot today, that's a change... It's peaceful I guess... but boring, boring.'

Rea smiled as her friends nodded in understanding but Rea wondered if they did know what it was like to be bored out of her mind. It didn't seem possible for them to know what it felt like to be here, torn between this endless peace and the complexity of her own life.

'I hope you recover soon, Rea... we researched some new ideas so let's try them a while later okay?'

Smiling at Rea as she pulled out a few more books, Shiori blinked when Rea quickly changed the subject and asked if they minded if they helped her with her school work.

'I've been missing out on my homework desho? It'll help me if you could tell me what we went through in class... I'm sorry for the bother... but please, I'm counting on the two of you.'

It was never explained why and who could see her but Rea was truly relieved that Tsukiyo and Shiori were able to see her and help her as well. Without the two of them and Katsuragi, she wouldn't know what to do.

Or she wouldn't need to try so hard...

..

'Rea?'

Noticing that Rea looked a little odd, Tsukiyo called her by her name before reaching out to touch her shoulder gently.

'Rea?'

'A-Ah, gomen... I was just thinking about things...'

'You aren't thinking of Keima, are you?'

Tsukiyo's eyes narrowed as Rea said that she wasn't but Rea wasn't sure that Tsukiyo bought it as she simply sniffed a little and replied that Keima was coming around later.

'He said that he had some research to do...'

For some reason, Tsukiyo seemed a little upset, but before she could contemplate that thought further, she was pulled back to reality when Shiori grabbed her hand and told her that their little challenge was still valid.

'… Rea... I won't forgive you if you cheat.'

Rea had no idea what Shiori meant but she believed she'd rather not know from how red Shiori's face was.

'Challenge? What challenge... Shiomiya? And does that have to do with Keima?'

If there was any doubt on Tsukiyo's anger before, that was wiped clean as Tsukiyo looked menacing now even when still holding Luna with her free hand.

'Tell me everything, Konoe, Shiomiya... Now.'

* * *

..

It was an enjoyable day and if it wasn't for Rea's physical body still resting on the bed beside them, Rea could be forgiven to think that everything was normal. Then again, if everything was normal, she wouldn't be able to have her friends over with her so late in the day so it definitely wasn't a normal situation at all.

'Do you like it like this, Konoe?'

Tsukiyo asked out of the blue as the girls were taking a break from the studying that they were doing. Although it was difficult for Shiori at the start, she started getting used to how she was tutoring Rea and, together with Tsukiyo, was able to help Rea catch up to what they had covered for the past two days.

'Why do you ask that, Tsukiyo?'

It was a question after her own heart and Rea was a little surprised that Tsukiyo would ask that as she tilted her head and explained herself.

'I tried imagining myself in your shoes... and for myself, I would rather not be in your situation at all.'

Tsukiyo said so with nary a doubt and Rea smiled as she continued.

'It might seem good at the start, with one being able to do what they wished while the world passed one by... but in the end, I would think that I would be sick of it. It might be a beautiful way to live... but it would not be _the_ most beautiful way to live.'

Rea was used to how Tsukiyo referred to everything as beautiful but Shiori wasn't as she looked confused.

..

'I am only living on borrowed time if I stayed at this state, reliant on others and unable to change anything by myself. I am merely escaping from my problems. If I am to live in the most beautiful manner, I would have to achieve it myself. Naturally with Luna by my side.'

Tsukiyo's words made Rea's mind freeze for a moment as it seemed too uncanny to be true. Did Tsukiyo go through the same situation before? It was too perfect an answer for someone who did not understand how it must have felt. If that was the case, that might explain why Tsukiyo was able to accept what was happening to Rea without batting an eyelash.

'… I... I wouldn't be able to do that... but... I wouldn't want to stay like this too... I can't bear the thought of no one else being able to see or hear me...'

Closing her eyes, Shiori blushed as she asked Rea if that was weird.

'I... I like to read and I... don't like to talk much... but I still... don't want to be forgotten... is that wrong?'

Her question was a tough one for Rea as it was like asking her to make a decision right now regarding her current situation.

She wanted to be free, to not be burdened by all of her problems and this was a once-in-a-life-time opportunity to do just that, even if it meant that her mother would...

'No... it's not wrong... it's not...'

Her mother would be burdened by her form the longer she spent in this current situation, wasn't she? If that's the case... if that's the case.

'Right?'

Rea still seemed undecided as the other two looked at each other and nodded. Their part was over, now it was _his_ turn again.

..

'Excuse us for a moment, Konoe.'

Looking up to see Tsukiyo hugging Luna as she got up, Rea smiled as the both of them said that they wanted to visit the washroom when the door was suddenly flung open by someone she didn't expect.

'F-Father!'

It was indeed her father and Rea paled as he hurried over to Rea's physical body, totally ignoring the spiritual her as she tried to touch him.

'Rea, Rea... oh my dear daughter, what happened to you?'

As she watched her father sob beside her bed, Rea heard a small cough and she saw Katsuragi Keima walking into the ward together with a girl that she remembered as his sister.

'I brought him here.'

Keima explained to Tsukiyo while shooting glancing at her and Rea nodded in thanks, a wave of relief and sadness spreading over her face as she watched her father tried to rouse her desperately.

She could feel his hands touching her arm as he slowly shook it and then when his hands started stroking her face, she blushed despite herself.

Rea knew her father loved her and there was no doubt to his love as she spent the next 10 minutes just staring at her motionless body even as Tsukiyo and Shiori hovered anxiously over him before they quickly excused themselves.

..

'Thank you, Katsuragi.'

Looking up suddenly to speak with the two of them still standing behind them, the girl took the cue to place the flowers in the vase that was provided in the ward while Keima nodded and said it was nothing.

'I'm sure that Rea herself would want you to know. She should be fine...'

'She's in a coma... that means she's not fine at all... but I hope you are right.'

Rea's father flared a little but he calmed down almost instantly as well before apologizing to him.

'It has been a stressful few days for me, Katsuragi... do you mind if I have a few words with Rea... alone?'

'Of course... Come, Elsi.'

With Keima pulling her sister with him as they left the room, Rea sat down beside her father as he started talking about what had been happening the past few days.

'I'm sorry for not visiting you sooner but your mother has been relentless... she wanted me to sign the divorce papers now... and that she wanted to have full custody of you. Now, I understand that you're not of legal age yet and wouldn't want to be bothered by this legal lingo but... if your mother has full custody, she will likely bar me from meeting you even though she has no right to do so. I... wonder what I did for her to hate me coming to see you that much.'

There was a a moment of silence as he considered his own words while stroking her hair, smiling down at his daughter even as Rea tried desperately to touch him, or to tell him that she's right here now.

'I don't know your choice... or whether you would want to live with me... but seeing that... you ended up like this before you gave me your answer, I'll... fight for your custody as well. I... don't want to give up without a fight, Rea... and if you can hear me... and if you disapprove of this, please forgive me for this.'

He lowered his head even as Rea felt tears rolling down her eyes, her spiritual one at that, her physical one remained unmoved and for the first time since this happened to her, she felt disgusted and angry at herself for being this way.

Her father needed an answer... but to be honest, she wasn't ready with an answer either... what should she do?

* * *

**Author's Notes: R&R, is very nice~**


	15. Hidden From One's Eyes

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 15: Hidden From One's Eyes**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: This chapter is brought to you with the help of ****_AKAAkira_****. Did I spell the name right this time?**

* * *

..

..

'We did as you asked, Keima.'

'Mm … we did...'

'Now tell us why you made us do that, Keima.'

Sitting beside Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God,** was Kujyo Tsukiyo and Shiomiya Shiori, his assistants for the capture of Konoe Rea, whose Weiss had currently separated her spirit from her body.

'It is to try and gauge what she felt about the situation now after the 'scene' I had with her the day before. Ordinarily I would be the one engaging and asking that question but as there is still some tension between the two of them, it would save time as well as effort if you asked her that question. I assume the two of you wish for this ordeal to be over for the two of you and for her?'

Nodding as the two girls nodded in agreement, Keima told them of his motive to bring her father over as well.

'Besides scoring some more points...'

Keima looked a little apprehensive as Tsukiyo glowered at him, showing that she was a little irked at that but he recovered and shrugged off her disapproving look at hm.

'I am pulling the initiative further away from Rea. She was successful in her attempt to chase me out of the ward and out of her life temporarily but it had cost her some cards as I knew that she herself was unsure what she desired and was still confused about her situation. She might not necessarily prefer being 'cured' and might even wish to retain this current lifestyle. Which brings us to the earlier point, Tsukiyo you had experienced something like this before and thus could relate with what she is feeling... so tell me, what did she reply with?'

Nodding as Shiori told him what Rea had said, Keima rubbed his chin as he considered the situation before speaking again, his eyes never far from his PFP screen even while in the middle of his analysis.

'Konoe Rea still has the initiative as she still has the right as well as reasons to reject assistance and by bringing her father here, I am forcing her hand. Yes, this might sound like I am forcing her to do what she does not wish to do... but do you wish to let her continue living in this state? I do not know what would happen to Rea if the Weiss does eventually take over her... in the worse case scenario she might really die and her physical body taken over by the Weiss. Do you wish to see that happen?'

Nodding grimly as the two girls shook their heads, Keima apologized to the two of them again while detailing the next step of his plan to make Konoe Rea rely on him.

..

'His father's reappearance would more than likely make her look at me more favourably while at the same time making the pressure for her to return to normal stronger than ever before. The key thing right now is to ensure that she never considers staying in this form ever again.'

* * *

..

'Thank you for looking after and being with her all the way, Katsuragi... And the two of you too, Shiomiya, Kujyo. I'm glad that Rea has so many good friends.'

Smiling as he took his leave even with Rea looking at him sadly while standing beside him, Rea's father stopped and asked if it would be alright if Katsuragi continued to update him regarding Rea's situation.

'I would visit her more often if I could... but issues prevent me from doing that.'

Rea's father smiled when Keima and agreed to his request before he left for real this time.

'… Thank you for remembering your promise, Keima-kun..'

As Keima blinked in surprise, Rea asked if she could call him that and after getting his approval, she sat down together with Shiori and Rea. He then pulled out more books from the book he was carrying even as Elsi asked who he was talking to.

'Kami-Onii-sama... you're odd today...'

Elsi was trying her best to pretend Rea wasn't there at all and it made the conversation a little awkward as Keima tried to distract Elsi, successfully of course with a random excuse.

Realizing that it was a difficult for her friends too, Rea looked a little sad as Keima shooed Elsi out of the room, but not before Elsi wished Rea well, staring at her physical body for a while before leaving Keima alone with the girls.

'I apologize, I completely forgotten as well.'

Looking a little awkward, Rea nodded and told Keima that she didn't thought of that too.

'It's odd... I've totally forgotten about that when all of you are around... is that odd? I was so sad about not seeing my father earlier and yet I...'

Keima knew that the influence and impression that she had of him was fast taking hold of her mental processes and his every action and word was followed by her, causing her to miss Elsi as she wasn't the flashy kind of person anyway.

One of Keima's best ability or skill as the **Capturing God **was his ability to command the attention or respect when he wanted to with either his words or his actions and he wanted Konoe Rea to be mindful of his every action and word.

This capture cannot fail, not even once must she look back as if she did, the Weiss would never be totally dispelled. This wish that Rea had was hidden and buried deep into her heart and to dislodge it, she must be captured completely and totally...

'You must be tired... we'll try the methods that I had dug up later on then.'

Keima dismissed her question, at least that's what it seemed initially as Keima arranged the books that he had brought out thoughtfully.

'And that's not hard to imagine... you were distracted by your father leaving... you didn't even sense our presence till later on.'

His eyes hardened when he said the next words though as he wanted to place emphasis on those words for Rea to think about. Her last encounter with him was indeed stormy and he wanted her to know that he had not given up nor should he be expected to have forgotten about what she said.

'You shouldn't get used to this at all if you plan on returning to your normal life after this.'

Although it hinted more than he would like to by saying 'normal' as it might tip Rea off that he wasn't as innocent as he seemed he was, it was the only way for him to warn her and remind her of the circumstances she would be dealing with if she continued along on this path.

'Yeah... I'll try...'

Visibly shaken by her father's words, Rea sat down again for a moment till she heard the sounds of quarrelling outside her door and without warning the door to her ward was flung open to reveal her mother and father arguing with each other.

..  
..

'M-Mother, Father!'

Looking shocked and in disbelief at what the two of them were doing, Rea watched as Keima and the other two girls retreated out of sight as her parents argued with each other.

Rea's father was upset and unhappy at not being informed about Rea's condition and her accident while her mother was furious at him visiting her and was constantly telling him to stay away from Rea.

'How dare you come and see her after doing nothing for her for so long! Even if I told you, what could you do for Rea? Nothing! That's what, nothing! I don't ever want to see you near Rea again!'

'She's _our_ daughter! I don't care if you want the divorce, but I wish to have the freedom to see my daughter as well as the right to do so! No matter what, I won't ever give up on that!'

'You can try as much as you want, Rea is much better of without you!'

'Rea would never say that!'

The argument continued and got so heated that some nurses had to come over and break up the fight but before they had stopped, Rea had ran out of the room by herself while Keima and the girls immediately tried to give chase.

Embarrassed and angry at what her family was arguing about, Konoe Rea fled from the scene as fast as her legs could carry her and she was faster than she thought she would be.

Throwing away the caution that Keima had gave her about leaving the hospital grounds and being able to pass through solid objects, she was out of sight with only a few seconds of head start and Keima hurriedly contacted Elsi for her help.

'Is this... what you were after... Keima?'

Looking at him in concern, Tsukiyo paled a little as Keima shook his head.

'This is bad, there is the chance that she would start to get attached and prefer this life granted to her by the Weiss... Curses, I didn't expect it to turn out this way... It looks like we would have to go with the final stages earlier. Tsukiyo, Shiori... I apologize in advance for what you would have to do for me.'

Keima emphasized this by looking at the two of them seriously even as Elsi caught up with Keima, the two girls swallowed before nodding.

'I'll end it tomorrow... that I promise you.'

* * *

..

When Rea finally stopped running, she found herself wandering the streets of the shopping district. Before long, her eyes widened as she remembered what Keima told her about and she felt a sense of panic as she looked at herself in worry.

Was she fading away? She couldn't tell for sure but then the panicked feeling she had settled down much more when she realized where she was.

She was outside! Finally free of the stuffy prison of her own ward and she looked around in wonderment like a girl on her first date. It was really odd to feel that way but Rea was really happy and satisfied at being outside in the sunlight again. Perhaps she was welcoming this feeling to cope with the stress, anger and disappointment she felt after seeing her parents quarrel together again.

She'd have to pick a side when she returned to normal or it would be a very difficult and bitter legal tussle between her parents and she didn't want that to happen. But right now... she just wanted to look around a little, even if she had been here before; being out like this felt different to her, somehow.

Rea didn't need to be concerned about what people felt about her, what she had to do later and what she might have to answer for when she returned home later than usual due to hanging out with her friends.

She could... be free, to do what she wanted just for today.

..

'Hey... i-isn't that...?'

Peering at the girl that was wandering around the mall aimlessly, Takahara Ayumi pulled her friend, Kosaka Chihiro, and pointed at the person she was staring at while asking her.

'Isn't that Konoe? Konoe Rea, you know, the girl that Keima-kun says he is helping now.'

'Where? I don't see her at all... Are you sure you aren't just imagining it?'

'Am I? Isn't she just there?'

'Nope, I don't see her at all! You must have mistaken someone else for her...'

Shrugging as she pulled Ayumi with her, Chihiro walked off in the opposite direction just as Keima caught up with Rea and he rushed forward to meet her.

..

'Rea!'

His voice jolted her a little and she turned behind her to see Katsuragi Keima looking at her angrily and she felt bad, apologetic even as he advanced towards her together with Tsukiyo and Shiori.

'A-Ah, Keima-kun! I-I'm so sorry for running away like that b-but...'

She ran out of excuses as Keima advanced on her and with him towering over her, figuratively of course, Rea couldn't hide or run and she just smiled sadly while apologizing to him.

'I'm sorry that you have to see me and my family in such a sorry state... now that you've heard us... I... you know why I... don't quite... like the idea of going back to my old life.'

There was an awkward silence as Rea just played with her fingers but Keima broke the silence with a small sigh.

'… I cannot force you to do what you don't like to do... but please remember what you are giving up if you just give up returning to your normal life now. Let's go back now...'

Offering a hand to Rea, Keima blinked in surprise when Rea's hand went through him and he scratched his head before remembering that she couldn't touch him at all.

'My bad, Shiori, would you take Rea's hands? I don't want her to run away again... who knows what will happen if she runs away again...'

Rea laughed a little but the two of them paled when Shiori blinked in surprise at Keima's words.

'Ano... Katsuragi-san... i-is... Rea there?'

'What do you mean, Rea is right in front of the two of you... Tsukiyo, you can see her... right?'

Looking at her two friends in confusion, Rea felt a sense of dread as she walked closer to the two of them and reached out to touch them, only for Tsukiyo and Shiori to move out of the way as they looked around for her.

'I-it... it can't be!?'

'Shiori, Tsukiyo... don't tell me...'

Rea looked at Keima painfully before breaking into tears even as Shiori and Tsukiyo paled upon realizing what had just happened.

'The two of you can't see or hear Rea at all now?'

* * *

..

..

It was night by the time the four of them returned to Rea's ward and Keima was keeping a careful eye on Rea as the girl seemed to be totally lost and disheartened upon finding out that her two friends couldn't see her any more.

Of course, it was just something that he wanted the girls to do to ensure that she would rely more on him and despite the girls knowing exactly why he did that, that didn't mean they liked the idea. Tsukiyo in particular was constantly glaring daggers at Keima as he guided and watched over Rea as they returned to her ward.

There was no sign of the argument having taken place at all and as Rea sank down in her usual chair while Keima and the two girls sat around in silence, the atmosphere became gloomy to the point that it made it more difficult to talk.

'Rea...'

Keima tried to get the girl to talk but it seemed that she had retreated into herself due to the shock that she had been subjected to.

'Rea.'

He tried again but got no response from the girl in spirit-form. All Konoe Rea wanted to do was to curl up and sleep, hoping and wishing that this was all a dream. Why must fate be so cruel to her to even take away her friends when she needed them the most? Rea hadn't set her mind on what she should do about the situation... but wasn't it too cruel to take away almost all her lifelines in one go? What should she do now that Shiori and Tsukiyo can't see her and hear her anymore?

Did that mean that she really had no choice but to return to her old life? Or risk being left alone, by herself in this state?

She didn't know what would happen if her physical body died but if there was a one in a millionth chance that she could continue as a ghost... would that be okay?

Rea didn't know now... and she didn't want to know as she closed her eyes.

'REA!'

Snapping awake as Keima shouted at her, Rea looked up to see Shiori and Tsukiyo pulling him back and telling him to stop it.

'Don't... give up, Rea... even if Tsukiyo and Shiori don't see or hear you... I... I can still see and hear you... so please, don't look at me with those eyes. Don't tell me you wish to stay in this state?'

He was really pleading her this time and it gave her a little more hope and strength to fight as she tried to laugh at his words.

'I... don't know... Keima-kun... but I won't give up.'

Rea could only offer that much in reply but it seemed that was enough for Keima as he seemed a lot more relieved.

'Keima-kun... would you please... help Tsukiyo and Shiori back home? It's getting late and it's not good for them to be out so late...'

Smiling sadly as she looked at her friends in return and although there were times where they seemed to be looking straight at her, most of the time they were looking elsewhere and would only pay attention when Keima spoke.

It made her smile too as Keima told the two of them what she replied with earlier.

'And... please... tell Tsukiyo and Shiori not to visit me anymore...'

Her reply made Keima ask her why a little too violently, something she was expecting and she smiled sadly at him even as her friends looked confused at Keima's outburst.

'… I... I don't want them to see me like this...'

Pointing at her physical body still lying motionlessly on the bed, Rea cried again as she buried her face with her hands as she sobbed out.

'I... I know that they know that I'm alright... I know that they'll want to help me... but... but I just don't want them to see me like that and it's so hard for me … for me to know that I can't talk to them and that they can't see me while I'm just here in front of them... please, Keima-kun... it's better... f-for me... a-and for them...'

Her heart was breaking and as Keima nodded in defeat due to her tears and emotional state. Rea watched as Keima guided her two friends out of her ward but before he himself left, Rea thanked him again.

'T-Thank you... K-keima-kun... and please, tell them I'm so sorry... for putting them through all of this.'

* * *

..  
..

It was difficult on the two girls too and they wiped away some tears of their own as they stood outside of Rea's ward unhappily.

'… I...'

'Never ask me to do that again, Keima.'

Sniffing while wiping away the tears of her own, the two girls were glad that due to her own tears, Rea hadn't caught them sniffing and crying at her tearful words and they, at least Tsukiyo, glared at Keima for making them go through that again.

Even if the ends justified the means, it was still a horrible thing to pull on a friend.

'Never... do you hear me, Keima, never...'

Seeing Keima nod while looking wordlessly at the door to Rea's ward, the two girls realized that the person who might be suffering the most was Keima himself. Not that they could really prove that as Keima assured them that tomorrow would be the last night.

'It ends there.'

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: It makes my day much brighter whenever I see a review in my Inbox and I'm really desperately in need of a few things to cheer me up.**

**Work. Sucks**


	16. Inner Contemplations

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 16: Inner Contemplations**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: This chapter was brought to you with the help of ****_AKAAkira. _****I spelt the name correctly right?**

* * *

**..**

Waking up in the middle of the night, Konoe Rea, the spiritual version of her at least, looked out of the window in the small ward that she was confined in.

She had a taste of freedom; false freedom, in this case as she was forced to relinquish it just after tasting it. Perhaps she shouldn't have followed Keima and her friends back here after all.

But if she had did that and went on to explore the freedom that she had gotten, what would be the costs that she would have incurred ?

Just being out of a little while had resulted in her two closest friends being unable to see or hear her... it was perhaps too steep a price to pay.

'Whatever... should I do?'

She didn't want them to see her, that was the truth... but she didn't want to see them either, she didn't want them to pity her for what she had become, literally a pathetic ghost haunting her own body and clinging to her old life stubbornly even if there was only a slim chance that she could return to normal.

She could end it like this if only she wasn't afraid of dying. Yes, she finally acknowledged that her 'freedom' was akin to 'dying' as the spiritual body she had now would end up as... what actually?

Rea didn't know and it scared her that everything was unknown; what she would become, what she might become in the future if she gave up struggling now.

The problems that she was facing now were enormous and unavoidable if she continued to struggle on but they would disappear like a puff of smoke if she just gave up right now.

It seemed so easy, it really seemed that the unknown didn't look so bad when she judged her own problems against it.

At least, that's what Rea thought until she remembered what Tsukiyo had told her before. That she didn't want to run away from her problems. Rea bit her lip in exasperation even as she thought about it.

So what was she supposed to do? She... couldn't go against all of her problems by herself, not when she didn't think she could make a decision without it haunting her for life.

Yes, she was weak, and she was finally able to admit it while staring at her own body, resting peacefully beside her even as she was wrecked with indecision and the fear of dying.

It was strangely ironic as well as Rea had thought that she was the one that was set free but right now, looking down at her body, Rea realized that the thing that had been truly set free was her body, her physical one.

'Some... one, please... tell me... what should I do? What... can I do? What should I do?'

* * *

..

..

The night couldn't seem longer and Rea drifted off to an uneasy and troubled slumber as she hugged herself while wishing for some company to share her troubles with.

As morning broke, Konoe Rea was awakened by someone tugging her arm repeatedly and incessantly despite her protest and she shouted at the offending figure who tried to wake her up.

It was Katsuragi Keima and Rea stared at him in shock at him being here. It was a school day after all and so wasn't he supposed to be in school?

'A-Ah!'

Realizing that she was hardly presentable at all, Konoe Rea tried to smooth her blouse and skirt even as Keima apologized for waking her up.

'I'll wait for you outside then. I apologize for waking up you up in that manner.'

As he took his leave, Rea realized that she had never been so embarrassed in her life as it was the first time that a boy had caught her in a compromising situation and a part of her was thankful that he didn't take advantage of the situation.

'Not... that he could do much anyway.'

Considering that she was in a spiritual form, there was nothing he could do to her anyway. Unless he wanted to make moves on her body! Just thinking about that made her sick and Rea shivered while finishing her final adjustments and wiping away the drool marks on her face.

It was a mystery as to why she was still in her school uniform even when the nurses changed and bathed her every day, Rea felt that it was a sort of blessing as she would never be able to face her friends or god forbid, Katsuragi if she was naked in her spiritual form.

* * *

'You can come in now, Keima-kun.'

Calling him from the door, Rea took a step back as Keima stepped into the ward bearing more books and a bouquet of flowers.

'I brought some flowers.'

'Thank you, Keima-kun.'

Rea wished that she could say that it wasn't awkward between the two of them but it was a lie as she was conscious that it was one of the few times that she was alone in a small room with a boy and how he had woke her up earlier didn't help the situation at all. If anything, it made her react to his every action.

'Keima-kun.' 'Rea.'

It was uncanny how the two of them managed to speak at the same time and they lapsed into another silence as Rea fidgeted in her seat. It was true that she was the one who had told her friends to not come over but now she sorely regretted that as without her friends, it was getting difficult to concentrate.

Rea found her mind and eyes wandering all over the place as she tried to avoid looking at him or was she really trying to have a look at him after all?

Odd that she could suddenly feel that way after they were alone together and Konoe Rea wondered why that was the case.

..  
..

_'I like you.'_

The memories of his confession flashed before her eyes and she turned red while telling Keima to go ahead first.

'No, ladies first.'

It was unbelievable how he could say that with a straight face and Rea found her face turning redder as she stumbled with her words.

'N-No, please...'

Rea had always known that love can change people; Shiori was the best example of that as the timid girl had actually challenged her to compete for Katsuragi Keima's affection.

Rea had said that she wasn't interested at all and even offered to help Shiori to make Keima changed his mind. So confident was she that Rea had to even reject his help two days before to try to get him to give up soon.

But he hadn't given up and the circumstances resulted in him being her only ally now, something that Rea couldn't really foresee then and this made her rejection of him earlier even more awkward.

Was she conscious of that fact too? Ugh, it's getting difficult for her to focus if she continued worry about this.

'Ano... Keima-kun, I'm sorry for what I said a few days ago... I understand... if you don't want to help me any more... I... I guess I'll try to find a way out of this myself... even if I can't, I'll wait and see what fate has in store for me.'

Smiling grimly as she looked at her own body, Konoe Rea stated her wish to continue believing, hoping and clinging on to her own life.

'But... if I could... if you could, I'll be happy if you are by my side... it's selfish for me as I was the one who reject you... but please.'

Bowing to him, formally, Konoe Rea was going to plead with him again when Keima interrupted by clutching her physical body's hands.

'As long as you don't give up, I'll do whatever I can. As I want you to continue living, Rea... I said so before and I'll say it again for as long as it takes.'

'E-Ehh?! Ehh... K-Keima-kun! I.. I heard you then, but like I said, I... I don't intend to return your feelings for me!'

'I'll say it as many times as it is necessary. I like you, Konoe Rea. Even if I like you, that has nothing to do with why I am helping you now, Rea, because even if you don't return my feelings, I want you to live on. I want to see you smile-'

'S-Stop it! Stop it! Don't say any more! H-How can you say all of this like that! Geez!'

Covering her ears and turning her back at him, Rea felt her face burning up again even as Keima stopped and looked away, giving her some time alone to her own thoughts.

'And I want to see you face your problems head on, instead of running away from them.'

Keima's final line was not heard by Rea but everything was turning out exactly like what he had planned.

* * *

..

For Konoe Rea it was altogether quite an interesting day as she was able to see more sides of the boy named as Katsuragi Keima. She had determined before that he was a stubborn but polite person, with perfect manners and at the same time, could be crass if the situation called for it.

..

That side of him was obvious but the most important aspect of him, that she realized only today after spending the entire day with him, was that Katsuragi Keima was a very dedicated, patient and reliable person.

Rea reasoned that an ordinary person would have given up after she rejected him but he just persevered on without even complaining and he still had the courage as well as determination to tell her that he would never give up in his pursuing of her. Not even when Rea told him that this was only a temporary arrangement, taking back her words of wanting him around as quickly as she had given it out.

Rea didn't want him to have any false hopes even if he was doing her a huge favour but Keima just nodded his head in acknowledgement.

'_I'll help you till you tell me to stop then.'_

He didn't even seem bothered at all and Rea could only shake her head in resignation. He was a dedicated and stubborn one alright.

..

He was patient as he could go for an hour or perhaps more of not saying a single word, not to mention how many of the new rituals and ceremonies that he found required concentrating in absolute silence bundled together with a lack of movement on the practitioner's part.

It was very hard for Rea but it seemed so easy when Keima demonstrated it to her.

'_It's impossible…'_

Rea had declared after seeing Keima hold his hand in that weird formation for the better half of an hour, the ritual needed her to hold that position while Keima chanted the sutra repeatedly for half an hour.

'Nothing is impossible when you put your mind at it… besides, you'll never know whether it's possible or impossible if you don't even try.'

Looking at her sternly, Rea felt like he was calling her out on her cowardice and with his coaxing and encouragement, she did manage to go through that ritual together with him.

Well, the ritual didn't help the situation at all as, if anything, it made her condition worse but Rea felt a little more confident and closer to him after going through that ordeal together with him.

It was odd but she felt strangely confident in herself and she felt that she could take on any challenge that she would face head on!

..

He was reliable as Rea had her first taste of what might be waiting for her if she failed to return to her body. Soon after finishing the ritual, her physical body had a noticeable change as the monitor displaying her heartbeat recorded a sudden and sharp decrease.

'R-Rea!'

The one who noticed the change was Keima and he hurried over to her physical body to see her face scrunched up in a painful expression even though Rea herself didn't feel anything wrong.

As she saw her own body give a weak groan of pain, Rea felt a little sick inside as well and she knelt down beside her own body, something that she didn't think she would do at all even as Keima pressed the emergency response button beside her bed to summon aid.

'Hang in there, Rea!'

Calling out to her, Rea saw the panicked look in his face and she reached out for his hand, if only to comfort him, only to see her own hand pass through him. She felt a little more heartbroken at how she couldn't even offer him the slightest bit of comfort as Keima clutched her hand desperately and painfully as well.

'I-I'm fine… Keima-kun.'

..

She wanted to tell him that but her words were stuck in her throat at how hard he was staring at her physical body as though she wasn't there at all. A terrifying thought dawned on her all of a sudden as she watched Keima staring at her body like that.

Perhaps to him, the real Rea, the real Konoe Rea was the flesh and blood one on the bed and not her at all. She called herself Konoe Rea as she possessed what she thought were memories of Rea and as the people who had found her had agreed, she had gone with that reasoning and line of thought.

What if she wasn't Konoe Rea at all? What if she really was a ghost, a ghost who had memories of a person called Konoe Rea? What then gave her the right to decide what this girl, the body lying on the bed beside her should do or not do?

It was a terrifying, not to mention horrible thought that made her panic even more and she slumped down to her knees, covering and clutching her head with her hands as she tried to shake that thought free from her tortured mind.

'I think, therefore I am.'

That was a famous line quoted for countless times across the ages but for Konoe Rea, the spiritual Konoe Rea, it was of no comfort as she started to doubt her own existence, something which shouldn't even be possible.

Who was she? What was she? Why did she exist now, separated from her physical body? She couldn't possibly be human after all and as she couldn't see herself in the mirror, she would have to take the words of Shiori, Tsukiyo and Keima that she really looked like the girl there.

..

That was the question right now even as the doctors swarmed around her body while trying their best to stabilize the situation and thankfully for the Konoe Rea still lying on the bed, the danger passed almost as quickly as it came as her vital signs recovered almost immediately when the doctors arrived, leaving them perplexed as to what had happened earlier.

..

'Keima-kun.'

As the doctors discussed the situation around them, the spiritual Konoe Rea stood up slowly and walked over to the boy waiting silently in vigil against the door by himself.

'Can you hear me, Keima-kun? Can you see me at all? Keima-kun? Please… please tell me that you can see me…'

Reaching out to him, Rea was afraid, so afraid that she didn't dare to look at Keima, choosing to close her eyes as she reached out to him, hoping beyond hope that he would respond in some way.

'Yes I can, Rea… get a hold of yourself!'

Whispering urgently, Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** looked at her sternly and with a mixture of relief even as Rea dropped to her knees again in front of him, causing him to look just a wee bit awkward as she tried to get him to stand up.

'… K-Keima-kun… could you do me a favour?'

Croaking out at long last as she slowly stood up again, Rea asked Keima to take her out of the ward and into the streets.

'Just one more time… please, just let me experience it one more time… I… I don't know how much time I have left.. I just feel that way… or how much courage and faith I have left in me to go on. Would you grant me this wish, please? Even if, in the end… Keima-kun can't see me, I want to do this one last time, so please…'

Rea didn't care what would happen to her, this her that called herself as Konoe Rea, any more. There were many things that she wanted to do, wanted to say and wanted to experience but if this was not her, not her life to lead, she should return this life to the girl that was lying on the bed and to the boy who cared so much for her.

For the boy who didn't care what she thought of him if only she could live on.

'I… I owe you that much, please…'

* * *

..

..

It was a date, quite possibly her first and last date as Konoe Rea walked out of the hospital together with Katsuragi Keima even as the doctors continued to discuss as to what had happened earlier on...

It was a fitting end, something that she had made up her mind on and nothing would change her mind when she straightened her thoughts on the rooftop where she had persuaded Keima to be with together with her.

..

_It had taken her some persuading but when Rea told Keima of what she suspected, that she wasn't Konoe Rea at all, Rea watched as Keima's face turned pale and then red in anger outside of the hospital room._

'_What if I'm not Konoe Rea, what if I am just an imitation, what if I'm the one causing Konoe Rea to be in this state? You can't say that it's not impossible, isn't it? If that's the case… perhaps if I disappeared, perhaps if Keima-kun can't see me any longer is the time where Konoe Rea finally wakes up.'_

_She told him of what she had felt, how she wanted to be free and to live the life that she wanted as she couldn't bear the thought of not living the life that she wanted. No, that wasn't right, she didn't have the courage to face the challenges that she knew she had to face eventually._

_It was a confusing mix of wants and needs that were pitted against her own dreams and wishes…_

_She wanted her family to get along together even though it was impossible due to the differences that she acknowledged herself._

_It was her wish for change, to break free from the routine of her normal and boring life but at the same time, she wanted the status quo that she had enjoyed with her family for so long._

_Finally and most importantly, she wanted the freedom to choose her desired outcome while at the same time resisted or was fearful in meeting the challenges that would result in those desired outcomes._

..

_Konoe Rea wanted freedom without earning or fighting for it, wanted to live her normal life while wishing to run away from it. That was the dilemma that made her so comfortable and yet so uneasy in her current situation._

_It was like a culmination and combination of what her wishes and nightmares were, all wrapped together in a neat package._

'_You're you, you're Konoe Rea. Rea, why would you doubt that at all?! You have your dreams, your wishes and what you fear just like a normal person… you are, Rea… the Konoe Rea… why do you doubt that? Or do you doubt me or Shiori or Tsukiyo?'_

_Even as the two of them stepped into the rooftop to have a breath of fresh air, for Keima at least, Rea just wanted to have a place where they could speak to each other freely and perhaps it was the privacy that they had that made her be able to finally bring out her inner most thoughts and fears._

'_Thank you, Keima-kun.'_

_She surprised him with her thanks and when Keima turned to look at her, he saw that she was crying, if that was even possible as tears rolled down her cheeks while he watched in shock. It was like a final goodbye between the two of them when she made up her mind._

'_Thank you for being with me so long… even if it was only a few days… and for what I did and said to you… when I didn't have the right at all. Whether or not I am Konoe Rea… is irrelevant… I want to thank you. For all that you did… for what you said to me… as it made me… really happy. I might not have been very fair to you, nor have I treated you right… so, thank you, Keima-kun. For what you've done… but it's enough… it's enough now… I don't want to run away… even if it means that I might never see you again…. I want you to let me go. To let fate decide what should happen to me…'_

_.._

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_**Author's Notes: EVIL CLIFFHANGER END. Check back next time and drop a review or two while you're at it!**_


	17. One Plus One Equals One

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 17: One Plus One Equals One**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: As promised, the last chapter for Rea's Arc is here! Thank you, ****_AKAAKIRA _****for the beta-edits!**

* * *

**..**

As the two of them sat foot once again in the shopping district, Konoe Rea couldn't stop the events that had just happened from flashing across her mind.

It was not easy making that decision and every part of the process, from the beginning till the end was imprinted in her memory.

What she hoped now was that she would remember all of this, what she decided and what she spoke and shared with him then.

..

_'So, thank you, Keima-kun. For what you've done… but it's enough… it's enough now… I don't want to run away… even if it means that I might never see you again…. I want you to let me go. To let fate decide what should happen to me…'_

_Konoe Rea thanked Katsuragi Keima, the Capturing God as the two of them stood together beside the railing of the hospital rooftop._

'_Why are you thanking me all of a sudden? My job isn't done yet… you can't just expect me to give up like that when you yourself never told me to stop.'_

_He was mad as he should be as she didn't give him a good reason for not letting him continue to be with her._

'_I… don't want to tell you to let go. I… want you to do that willingly… I think I said it before to Shiori, but not to you… but you are… such a wonderful person, Keima-kun. You are not only cute, smart, reliable but most importantly loyal. I am… happy that you confessed to me… but… but I said so before, I can't accept your feelings, not now, not ever.'_

_Smiling in a bitter-sweet fashion as tears started rolling down her eyes again, Konoe Rea watched as Keima's shoulders slumped considerably at hearing her words but even as he recovered, Rea beat him to it by speaking again._

'_I am saying this… as I don't know how much time I have left, Keima-kun.'_

'_What are you saying, Rea, what do you mean by that?'_

'_You saw what happened to me before, Keima-kun. What happened to the girl that is still now in the hospital room. That is without a doubt, Konoe Rea, a Konoe Rea that all of you knew. The remaining question is, what am I? Who am I? Am… I really Konoe Rea?'_

_It was something that she had just realized and she only understood the significance of that question now._

'_I should have realized this from the start… I may have the memories of Konoe Rea, or I might not… but even if I do have those memories, does that automatically make me Konoe Rea? Who is the real Konoe Rea? There could only be one… this is like the age old question. If there are two Konoe Reas in front of you, which Konoe Rea would you want to have? The Konoe Rea that is lying on the bed or the Konoe Rea that stands before you now. Let me… tell you this though, this Konoe Rea here will promise to love you back if you pick her.'_

_Raising both her hands in front of her as though welcoming him, Rea was surprised at how daring and random she was being. This was a test, a test of Keima's loyalty and of course his dedication to the real Konoe Rea._

..

'_The… Konoe Rea that is lying on the bed.'_

_It was not a trick question at all and Rea knew from the start that anyone would pick the real Rea and not this 'fake' Rea even if it was able to give him happiness that he desires._

'_But even if that is the case, that does not mean that you are not real, Rea!'_

_Rea smiled as Keima continued earnestly and she shook her head slowly as Keima asked her why was she doubting herself now, when she seemed to have made progress._

'_I… I don't want you to give up now, Rea…'_

'_Have you known from the start, Keima-kun? That I am perhaps not the Rea you are looking for? Is that why you told me not to give up?'_

_Rea wanted to know and after a long silence, Keima finally nodded his head._

'_That was indeed… one of the possibilities… that you are… were, not Rea. It was slim at best… but I know that you could be Rea. It pains me… to see you defeated like this, Rea… this is not the Rea that I know, the Rea that I like.'_

'_And yet… you never give up trying, even if you weren't sure whether I am the real Rea. Is that why you can still see me, Keima-kun? Is that why? I don't know… but it's the only thing that makes sense now… why did Shiori and Tsukiyo not see me after I ran away? Did I not fit their image anymore? Is that why… they didn't recognize me anymore?'_

_She didn't know what she was talking about now but it sounded right, she wanted it to sound right and it really did seem like the truth as Keima looked a little awkward. So he did know, so he did consider what she said was a possibility._

..

'_Who… are you, Katsuragi Keima?'_

'… _I am the Katsuragi Keima who likes you, Konoe Rea… that is all.'_

'_Stop, stop talking in riddles, Keima-kun!'_

'_I am not! I will not lie to you about that!'_

_Her face reddened and this time Rea couldn't help herself as she flung herself at him, only to pass straight through him once again and landing on the floor of the rooftop instead._

'_D-Don't say that! Don't say that again! I'm not Rea, I'm not! I don't even know who I am now, what I want to do, what I should do and what right… that I have to do the things that I want to now! Stop telling me that you like me even though you know I can't… possibly… might… not be… the person that you really like! _

_Who am I?! Am I really Konoe Rea?! And if I am, does that give me the right to love you, Katsuragi Keima?! W-When… when Shiori she…'_

_Breaking down, Rea closed her eyes as she bawled her heart out even as Katsuragi Keima looked down at her crying form, unable to do the same thing that she wanted to do for him just a while ago, to offer some comfort._

But when Rea was done crying, she just commented weakly even as Keima sat down in front of her. She felt bad, for Keima and for a lot of things as she had him go through so many things for her and at the same time, damned him into making all those things... all useless.

She probably would never be able to repay Keima for what he has done for her but in the same time, she knew she was a little selfish when she wished and hoped that he would... remember her.

'… Shiori and Tsukiyo would ask about me... neh? But promise me, Keima-kun... that you would not tell them _this truth_. That... I was... not Rea... not the Konoe Rea that they knew and were friends with.'

'You can't expect me to do that.'

Keima replied bluntly but even he was silenced when Rea smiled at him in a knowing way, as if able to read his mind.

'You would... because... you're too kind. So in return, I'll do something for you, Keima-kun... be flattered, you'll be able to do something no one else has ever done before.'

* * *

..  
..

In the end, Rea and Keima had gone out on a date, her first and possibly last one in the shopping district with him by her side.

After letting herself cry her heart out, Rea had insisted Keima bring her out for a date, as a 'final' gift for him even though Keima said that she shouldn't say that at all.

'No, it's really… our final date. I … don't want to see you any more, Keima-kun. I don't know if I'm right thinking that if I disappear, if Keima-kun doesn't see me anymore, the real Konoe Rea would wake up… but I…don't want to see you anymore. I don't want you to think of me, to remember me… I want you to help Konoe Rea, the real Konoe Rea that is still fighting for her life, to do what she had to. She needs make a decision about her family, to tell her parents what she thinks and… to fall in love with you, all over again. D-Don't worry though… if I am the real Konoe Rea… I won't forget you and the time that we spent together. If I'm not… then I'll find a way out myself to return to you… somehow.'

It was her wish and she made Keima promise her that before they set off for the shopping district together.

Whether she was right or wrong, Konoe Rea, the spiritual Konoe Rea, really didn't want to see him further. To see him waste so much time and emotions on her, the Konoe Rea that shouldn't be.

There could only be one Konoe Rea and that Konoe Rea was the one lying in the bed, not her, the one that was clinging on to the concept of freedom and deliverance from Konoe Rea's trouble.

Konoe Rea was troubled by her family, her personal life and therefore, she is.

That was the truth, this Konoe Rea, the Konoe Rea that she was called right now, didn't have that problem… and therefore she wasn't Konoe Rea. As long as she continued to exist and that Konoe Rea continued to be 'liberated', neither of them could be called Konoe Rea. Not when she wasn't able to solve Konoe Rea's problems and Konoe Rea couldn't truly be free either.

Therefore, only one should and could exist at one time.

That meant that one of them have to go… and since Konoe Rea that was lying in bed couldn't disappear, she had to be the one to go.

..

'Let's go there next, Keima-kun!'

She wished that she could hold his hand in hers, to cling onto him as he guided and navigated their way through the crowd, mindful of her presence but it was not to be as she would just be making the separation from him even more painful.

Still, Rea took heart in knowing that she, the other her would be able to do that when she recovers.

It was a wonderful time indeed as Keima was patient, kind and gentle like a true gentleman and not for the first time, she felt jealous of her friend in finding a boy like this. Of course, she felt guilty as well in being able to take him away from her even after she promised to help her to gain his heart.

'I'm sorry, Shiori… Tsukiyo…'

Whispering an apology to the wind, Rea smiled and caught up with Keima as he entered the arcade with her in tow.

It was her first time with him here and Keima brought her around while playing the games for her to see. It made her feel bad for him as others would occasionally wonder at why he was playing some of the multi-player games by himself but she enjoyed herself tremendously as she watched him go through the many games skilfully.

'Ah, you're really good at games, Keima-kun~"

Shouting over the din, Rea grinned as Keima looked a little smug before she pointed to an UFO machine.

'I want that one, could you get one for me? Please! Please!'

Cheering as he inserted a few coins into the machine, Rea watched in anticipation as he tried, and tried again… and again.

'T-That's enough, Keima-kun. I think you tri-'

..

She was about to say at his 13th attempt but he had finally did it and he picked up the purple elephant plushie with a triumphant look on his face, causing her to laugh and thank him for what he did for her.

'Thank you so much! I'm sure that Rea would surely treasure it!'

Noticing that she seemed down as he held onto the plushie, Keima was surprised when Rea asked what she wanted to do next when they left the arcade together.

Being happy and sad at the same time that Keima was really sensitive and mindful of her feelings, Rea asked him in return what he wanted to do.

'It's a date, a date means that both of us enjoy ourselves neh? So tell me, where does Keima-kun want to go?'

Of course, he had to make the moment even more embarrassing when he said that he would want to go wherever Rea wanted to go, causing the poor girl to turn red before saying that she wanted to go to the train station.

'You said you wanted what I wanted to do... neh? … I might not be Konoe Rea, the real one... but I too, have the things I want to do... so let me show you what... I want to do... therefore, I am, neh?'

A bad way to use that famous phrase but as Keima didn't seem to mind, the two of them headed for that destination together.

* * *

..

Standing in front of the train station, Keima watched in wonder as Rea rattled off the many stations that they were linked to as well as the transit stops for an around the country trip.

'… It has been my dream, no, our dream to travel… and I've memorized all the train stations in Japan as I want to go on an all-country journey first.'

Looking wistfully at the people who were getting on the trains, Rea smiled as Keima asked her why she wanted to do that.

'I want to be free… to be free from my problems, to not be tied down to anything, any place… or anyone… I guess I failed at the last part but… that was my wish. I… I guess I just looked for freedom in the wrong way… there is no short cuts for getting what I wanted.'

Looking determined as she stared at the ticketing counter, Rea turned to look at Keima once again as she smiled and placed a finger on her lips.

'Would… you want to come with us on our first trip, Keima-kun? If… I am Konoe Rea and I remembered all that has happened, all that you did for me… all the things that I thought about, was afraid about and happy about… would you be willing to come on my first ever trip together with me? Mind you, we're going to tour at least half of Japan before we come back so think abo-'

'I will go, if you will have me.'

His answer was crisp, to the point, easy to understand and he said so with the conviction of a person that would do what he promised and Konoe Rea smiled even as she wiped away the tears that were coming out of her eyes.

'I would love to have you… I mean we… So, it's a promise then?'

'It's a promise.'

* * *

..

When they returned to the ward, the sun has already set and the doctors all gone from beside her bed, leaving it lonely and quiet, not to mention cold as was already night time.

But for some reason, Rea didn't feel cold at all, like she was filled with something else that was keeping her warm. After the two of them entered the ward together, they sat together beside Konoe Rea's body.

It had been a long day, an excruciating, tiring, sad and happy one that made Rea doubt, vindicate as well as confirm her own existence together with what she should do for Konoe Rea.

It was just a theory, but it was good enough for her to believe in it and was something that she has talked Keima into agreeing and accepting with. She needed to disappear in order for Konoe Rea to wake up.

It could be her that was preventing her from waking up… and from what she had seen that afternoon, the longer she existed, the mores stress that she could be putting on her body and the more danger Konoe Rea would be in.

Sure, she could be wrong but even if she was, her mind was made up and no matter what Keima told her or how much he pleaded with her, she would not change her mind.

Even if he wanted her to continue trying, to not lose hope, there was no doubt that this could end up to be more than a temporary effect. If it ended up in this way, what would happen to her, to Rea, to her family and to her friends? It was something that she could not just dismiss without considering.

The heartbreak, the pain and the burden that she would give them if she continued existing together with Konoe Rea's body was unbearable and unthinkable.

Thus, she had to go.

..

She had to disappear and she had to let Konoe Rea face her problems once again. The price for freedom was too steep and this was something that she couldn't pay.

Rea couldn't run away from it any more, nor could she doubt her own reasoning. If she doubted herself now, she wasn't sure if she'll ever build up that same conviction that she has now and so she begged Katsuragi Keima to let her go.

'So please… forget me, Keima-kun. If you do, perhaps I'll be gone just like how it happened with Shiori and Tsukiyo. Perhaps it'll be less painful for you… perhaps…'

She didn't get to finish as Keima told her to stop, practically begged her as she saw him looking away, his lips and shoulders trembling as he fought hard in trying to not let the tears drop.

If he cried now, there was no doubt that she would try too and she told him to stop this.

'No, you stop this, Rea! Why must you do this?! Why must you say this? Why must you ask for something so unreasonable?!'

He looked angry, so miserable and so sad that she almost told him that she would do it. But it was wrong and she shook her head at his request, at his demands and unless she was mistaken, one of Rea's fingers did move, as if in response to her determination.

'As it's the right thing to do, Keima-kun. I… I won't run away any more. I won't,'

Getting up and watching as Keima stood up together with her, Konoe Rea smiled sadly as she leaned closer to him.

'I… won't ever forget you though, Rea… it's a promise that I can't keep. So don't expect me to… please.'

'No, I insist that you do… but… thank you nonetheless, Keima-kun and… well this is a final gift from me… so please, close your eyes, Keima-kun.'

He did so and with a small, almost inaudible sigh, Katsuragi Keima and Konoe Rea shared their first kiss together.

* * *

..

..

'Eh, you're going to be transferring schools?'

'You got it all wrong, Shiori. I mean that I'll be moving some of my stuff over to my father's home but that doesn't mean that I'll be transferring away.'

Laughing as Shiori looked confused at what she was saying, Konoe Rea explained that her parents had finally gotten divorced but due to her pleading, had decided against fighting for her custody.

'Both of my parents will have equal custody rights but for now till I graduate from high school, I'll be staying with my mother. I'll go live with my father after I graduate… he might be going overseas soon and want me to join him there!'

Smiling as Shiori congratulated her for standing up for what she wanted, Rea blinked even as she nodded her head and seemed a little confused at Shiori's words. After all, she never told her how difficult it was for her to make that decision to talk to her parents, right?

Well, what she said was true after all and Rea thanked Shiori for all the help that she had given her after waking up from her coma in hospital. She had been out cold for the better half of three days after fainting from shock from a car accident that thankfully never took place and it was Shiori and Tsukiyo who had came and visited her during that time.

They were a constant presence even after she woke up till she was discharged after spending a whole week there.

'… Shiori?'

'Yes, Rea?'

Looking up from her book, Konoe Rea had the nagging feeling that besides the two of them, there had been another individual that had been present and who had visited her more often. Someone who was very important to her and Shiori…

Not to mention who gave her the courage and the conviction to confront her problems… most tellingly, the purple elephant plushie that was sitting on the table in front of her.

..

'Did.. .anyone come with you to visit me? I… feel like I'm forgetting something or someone very important. It's on the tip of my tongue, but I… can't remember.'

Watching as Shiori looked at her in bewilderment, Rea decided to drop the topic by saying that she must have imagined it. Shiori wouldn't lie to her about something like that.

'It's nothing, Shiori… must be my imagination or something.'

..

..

'Whew…'

Shiomiya Shiori was relieved to see that Rea had dropped the issue as she don't know what she would do if Rea retained her memories from the capture.

Although Keima reassured her that her memory would be modified, it was still of a great concern to her and Tsukiyo but it had ended up like what he had said to the letter.

Her memories had been removed, modified and the Weiss that was hiding in her captured and locked away by Elsi.

'Konoe Rea does not wish to face her problems and is fixated with the wish of being free, escaping from her problems, and the Weiss had granted her the wish by separating her psyche from her body. The key thing was to make her face the truth and if that fails, to force her to decide what she truly wants. A life of endlessly escaping from the truth or one that she can gain true freedom after facing the truth.'

Katsuragi Keima was the Capturing God indeed as with just a few words, actions and leads from him, he was able to make Rea face the problem that she had been avoiding for so long.

'I have to make her question herself, what she is doing right now against the Rea that she has ignored so far in front of her… together with the possible consequences of her dying. But most importantly; we have to ensure that Rea is not too comfortable with the current situation at hand. In that aspect, I believe Tsukiyo can relate to that.'

Tsukiyo's capture had involved Keima and Elsi tricking Tsukiyo into thinking that she was shrinking again, pulling her away from her comfort zone that Keima had inadvertently build up for her..

'.. If not for you risking your life to save me, I would never have forgiven for lying to me.'

Tsukiyo huffed a little as she sipped her tea, the two of them congregating at Café Grampa for a post-action review of what he had done for Konoe Rea.

Similarly, Keima had to manipulate the situation; the 'incident' that the physical Rea had undergone, more specifically the time when her heartbeat monitor showed a drastic change, was all thanks to careful manipulation of Elsi's raiment. It was to create the illusion that the physical Rea was affected by the changes in her mindset.

..

'She was running away from her problems and to an extent her life, which is what I determined as the core of the problem. The gap in her heart probably expanded due to the heightened stress level after the Weiss took residence.'

Recalling how they had first realized that a Weiss had taken residence in Rea's heart, within a short gap after meeting with her father outside of school, Keima was certain that although Rea had been subjected to stress for a very long time, she had been able to cope by hiding the situation away from her friends and her classmates.

'Everyone has their own secrets, the things that they want to keep hidden within themselves and the moment that that rule has been broken due to her father visiting her at school, the stress level surpassed what she had been coping with so far. In hindsight, we were the triggers that made her be a victim. That said, New Hell really has their work cut out for them if they built a sensor that only sensed the Weiss after it entered a host's body.'

Looking at the two demons sternly as he whispered to the two of them, the two demons just laughed nervously as they couldn't do much about the situation. Shiori and Tsukiyo looked confused as to what he had said to them. They shouldn't and couldn't know about New Hell at all.

'Well, I would be lying if I expected more from them, but I digress.'

..

_'Then... w-weren't you making it difficult for Rea.. if Rea was worried about her family... why are you causing her unnecessary stress at the start too...'_

_Shiori voiced out her concern and she gained the support of Haqua and Tsukiyo as they pressed him for answers._

_'It was to narrow down the possible causes of her stress. Although we determined in the end that the causes of her stress were undoubtedly due to her family, we were not so sure at the start. Of course there had been many indicators that it was due to her family but we were unable to pinpoint or to confirm my suspicions. At least, not fully without conducting further investigations. Yes, there are others methods that I can employ to verify those claims but it would have taken more time and would not have been as thorough or as successful. That said, I must admit that it was due to my attempts and my script that resulted in her stress levels rising and her Weiss growing stronger as a result.'_

_Looking back at the capture in an objective point of view, Katsuragi Keima, the __**Capturing God **__acknowledged his faults and the method that he had used to capture her, Shiori's role notwithstanding, and of course the unexpected assistance with Tsukiyo had created more pockets and opportunities for Rea to break out of his grasp._

_'I would not involve all of you in the future if I can help it. It was an experiment of sorts and although it did hasten and quicken the pace of the capture, it took only six days in total to capture her with the barest amount of interference in the end, it was the unpredictability of a person's emotions, friendship and of course the interaction between Rea and the two of you that made her so settled into her form of life after the Weiss got stronger.'_

_After the incident, Konoe Rea should have been in a state of panic but due to how calmly Tsukiyo had dealt with the situation, Keima had no choice but to involve her as well._

_'So... was it my fault then?'_

_Seeing that Tsukiyo looked a little depressed, Keima shook his head and reassured her by saying that there was really no way she would have known what she should have done in that situation. That new development made it difficult for him as well but like he stressed, it was within his range of possible deviations._

_.._

_'I am sure you remembered how I panicked when I saw you for the first time after that incident... So for you to react so calmly only made it easier for her to get a better grasp of the situation. Well, I guess her character archetype was totally different from yours and a different approach would bring the same reaction.'_

_For her part, Shiori looked away and tried not to be too interested in learning what had happened between the two of them._

_'But since that avenue was not open to me, I had to indulge in helping her with the two of you of you while maintaining the semblance of normalcy... Well, I made that error with Tsukiyo as well so I take full blame for that.'_

_Looking down at his cup of tea, Tsukiyo and Shiori felt a little bad at Keima pinning the blame on himself._

..

_'The outcome was as I expected, she seemed to be coping well after just a single day with your assistance. That shows how comfortable she was in dealing with stress if the issue was kept as a secret. Still, I was glad for the unexpected interference of her parents and the argument between them we saw that day. Without that, she would not have been reminded of her current predicament and would not have enabled me to push her towards the final line of thought as she considered her own fate and her future if she kept on being in that form. _

_It was her own mortality that worried me, hence my emphasis on how she should always kept living. Even so, I knew that she didn't have the courage to take her own life and to continue in this life style. The issue, of course, was that she was also too afraid to face her own challenges in her normal life.'_

_Taking a sip of tea, Katsuragi Keima looked around him to see that the girls were struggling to keep up and he smiled slightly as he told them not to worry about it._

_'Basically I know that she wouldn't try to stay as what she was for too long. She wouldn't be able to live by herself but the question was she wasn't ready to go back either. Well, I did ensure that the lines that I gave the two of you ensured that her problem was hovering over her all the time. It was the argument that provided me with the opportunity, like I said. She was really running away from her problems, her problems stemmed from her family but just helping her solve that problem would not close the gap in her heart. In conclusion, I am more surprised than anything to find out that Konoe Rea shared striking similarities with the two of you.'_

_Looking at the two captured girls that had helped him along this capture, Katsuragi Keima smiled as he elaborated._

_'Konoe Rea did not like to rely on others if she could help it, similar to how you were like, Tsukiyo, and she was afraid of facing her challenges like you, Shiori. It was a combination of both of your problems in a lesser scale. Despite the confusing and complicated routes, I was able to capture her in the end yesterday night just like I promised.'_

_Looking satisfied at his capture, Keima nodded as Elsi said cheerfully that Rea was now 'living' her life like how he had wanted her to._

_'She dreamt of living her life that she wanted to and now she was taking her first step in achieving that dream.'_

_Reaching for the pot of tea, Keima paused briefly as Tsukiyo asked him, a little crossly and no doubt due to jealousy, whether he had made any promises to her. Just like how he did with Chihiro before. Keima smiled softly as he wondered out loud as well._

_'Well, I wonder now... she was the one that followed the path that I made for her till she reached the end. Did I capture her in the end or did she just fall into my trap? I wonder... really.'_

_His words were vague, too vague to bear and the two girls just stared at him crossly. Yes, even Shiori for she felt that Konoe Rea had scored points with him even while he was just doing his job._

_It was a first, a definite first that he didn't need to pursue a girl so vividly as she fell for him almost without noticing._

* * *

..

..

_**Author's Notes:**_

_**Looking back at how I envisioned my OC, Konoe Rea to be, I realized that she went off in a totally different direction as to where I created her to be. Cookies for those who recognized her name sakes from the get-go and of course the initial idea was inspired from her name sake, Sanka Rea and Konoe Yuuko~ But as you can see, it turned out like this~ :laughs:**_

_**Originally Rea was supposed to be alive and not yet alive, if that made sense. Being involved in an accident that rendered her to be dead but she was 'alive' due to the Weiss's powers. Once Keima captured her, she would return from the dead to continue with her life.**_

_**During the actual writing process though I realized that she would probably end up physically scarred due to her accident and I decided against it in the end. Not that Keima wouldn't capture her, but I personally felt that it would be a **_**much**___**bigger challenge if she saw her physical body like that.**_

_**I mean, a girl's looks is everything and for her to accept her looks and to return to living with it was going to be an uphill task.**_

_**Rea's father and mother was supposed to have a much larger role as well in the original concept and Rea's father was going to side with Keima while Rea's mother against him being with her and near the end when they decided to cremate Rea's body, he would get physically assaulted by Rea's mother for begging them not to since if they did that, Rea wouldn't be able to return to her body.**_

_**..**_

_**In the revised draft, the same scene was going to happen but instead of cremating her body, they were supposed to take Rea off life support and for her to awake from her coma after the capture. (Additional Notes: I just realized that cremating probably... isn't what the Japanese do, neh? But anyway, burying her would serve the same purpose...)**_

_**I wonder if either of those scenarios would be better than the final version that I decided on a whim? Please tell me what you think to!**_

_**Tsukiyo was **_**never**___**supposed to be involved in this story and I have to say that I'm NOT biased at all to Shiori, this story was created first before deciding on who should be involved.**_

_**The basic concept for Moonflower's Wish is for a sequel to Blue Roe Paradox, which I like VERY much with the girls helping Keima or at least, watching on as he captured new, OC girls. I hope that I got the message across.**_

_**Back to Tsukiyo though, I realized that Rea's finalized problems were very similar to Shiori and Tsukiyo, something included in the story itself and of course, the reason that they were able to see Rea was hinted and of course referenced to the Goddess's Arc.**_

..  
..

_**The ending was quite rushed but was inspired as well in a sense as once I reached the stage of the argument between Rea's parents, I couldn't stop at all and the ending turned out to be that way.**_

_**It might seem rushed but I feel that despite it being that way, it shows how Keima can deal with the situation and adapt accordingly as per his title of the Capturing God.**_

_**I mean, the story was told in Rea's POV most of the time and unlike other captures, he was not in the driving seat at all and was Rea was the one having the initiative once the Weiss's powers took over.**_

_**Even so, he paved the road for her and even if he did had to show more emotions than he had to, he captured her in the end.**_

_**I guess I rambled on for long enough, and I guess I'm imitating Wakaki Tamiki-sensei a little too much... but as a final gift, the statistics for Konoe Rea~**_

* * *

_**Konoe Rea**_

_**Occupation: Travelling High School Student**_

_**Birthday: 13**__**th **__**May**_

_**Class: 2-A**_

_**Blood Type: O**_

_**Height: 170cm**_

_**Weight: 51kg**_

_**Three-Sizes: 71-61-73**_

_**Likes: Family, Travelling, Reading about foreign places**_

_**Dislikes: Arguments, Staying still, Unnecessary lessons**_

_**Recent Troubles: It's hard deciding what I should keep at home and those that I should bring over to my father's place...**_


	18. Interlude Enter a Goddess 1

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 18: Interlude – Enter a Goddess I**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, ****_AKAAkira_**** it is always a pleasure to work with you with this.**

* * *

..

Ayukawa Tenri, aged 17 was from Maijima Municipal Misato East High School and a neighbour of the Katsuragi Household. Most importantly though, she was the childhood friend of Katsuragi Keima and the closest thing to a secret admirer that Keima had before the entrance of Yoshino Asami into his life.

Of course, the most important and distinguishing trait about Tenri was the image that was reflected on the mirror as Tenri worked on her homework for the day.

'Tenri, are you done with your homework?'

Looking bored as Tenri shook her head, the reflection of Tenri took on a life of it's own even as Tenri continued to work on homework. What distinguished Tenri from her reflection was how her eyes appear to be slanted, giving a more provocative and dangerous look to the more innocent and naïve look that Tenri sported.

'Not yet, Diana... I can't work out the translation for this word...'

Looking troubled as Tenri concentrated, her reflection, which was named 'Diana', looked a little uneasy before apologizing to Tenri for disturbing her.

'I'm sorry Tenri, I didn't know you were running into problems. If only I knew more about the language of the world I would help you out more.'

Looking thoughtful as she continued staring at Tenri, Diana smiled a little in exasperation as Tenri apologized for making Diana apologize to her, reminding her of what she wanted Tenri to do to increase her chances of getting Keima to fall in love with her.

'I told you before, Tenri, stop apologizing to others! It makes you look bad if you keep apologizing to others... You know that, don't you?'

Diana knew that Tenri was a very shy individual, too shy perhaps for her own good but thanks to her 'protection' as well as how Tenri got along with everyone, Tenri wasn't bullied by anyone yet.

'I'm sorry, Diana...'

'I said, stop apologizing, Tenri!'

..

It was time to stop beating around the bush and to start introducing Diana, Ayukawa Tenri's reflection and a Goddess. To make her even more special, Diana was one of the six goddesses who sealed away the Old Demons of Hell, the Weiss that Keima had captured from Konoe Rea's body and helped established New Hell.

As a goddess, it was natural that she came from Heaven instead of New Hell and there are a few fundamental differences that one can take note of. Unlike Weiss, which grow with the help of negative emotion, goddesses grows in strength due to love!

Being one of the few who sealed away the demons, Diana and her sisters were released together with the Weiss when the seal was broken and she currently resides in Tenri, trying to regain her power from Tenri's love for Katsuragi Keima.

Yes, the Goddess, Diana was trying to regain her powers by making Tenri's love for Keima blossom.

Of course, Diana was still considering whether she should tell Keima about her sisters as the worst case scenario would be that her sisters would all fall in love with him and steal him away to grow their own powers. Well, it was a remote possibility at best, or so Diana hoped.

..

Now, one might be dying to ask why she hasn't been successful in the endeavour but one can look at a case story in Yoshino Asami, The **Capturing God** himself did not shy away from Asami, in fact he allowed Asami to approach him, but for all the good that had done, Yoshino Asami was still unable to capture his heart.

Tenri was neither as daring nor as close to Keima as Asami was and that puts a huge roadblock in front of Tenri's quest to be Keima's _chosen one_. It complicated matters when Tenri herself was not as aggressive(?) as Asami in her pursuit of Keima.

All in all, it was very frustrating for Diana to watch Tenri be content with her current relationship of being friends with Keima when she knew that somewhere out there, Keima might be getting pursued by some other girl that Tenri didn't know of.

It was embarrassing to admit but Tenri and Diana had no idea on the friends that Keima had, assuming he had any at all considering his gaming habits.

Perhaps that was why Tenri was contented to let things develop slowly, something Diana was opposed to but ultimately had no say in.

After all, Tenri was the one who fell in love with Keima and it was _Tenri's_ love that would replenish her powers, not Diana's own... well, there was the possibility that it could happen but she would never betray Tenri like that.

..

Now that Tenri was done with her homework, the two of them sat in the room quietly reading even as Diana asked what they were going to do today again.

'A walk would do you good, Tenri, you look a little pale from staying up all night practising your magic.'

Smiling and looking at the new magical tools and kits that Tenri had bought, Diana watched as Tenri blinked and nodded slowly in agreement.

'I have been staying up late, haven't I... but I'm much better at it now, aren't I, Diana?'

'Yes, yes, I can see you're improving. Not that I approve of you buying rabbits to do your magic, Tenri, you'll have to take care of them by yourself.'

Smiling as Tenri said that she wouldn't do that, Diana asked her when she'll go and do a performance for Keima, causing the girl to blush hard.

'W-Well, I would like to... b-but... but well... D-Diana! Why is everything about Keima-kun?'

Looking embarrassed and a little upset at how Diana seemed to mention Keima at every turn and opportunity, Tenri pushed her fingers together in understanding as she raised up the issue of Haqua again, the demon girl that Tenri and Diana knew was quite close to Keima.

Not considering Elsi as she was his sister and partner in New Hell, this demon girl, Haqua did seem to be Tenri's number one competitor and unknown to Tenri, Diana had struck first by saying that she was Keima's fiancée. Naturally that hadn't really worked out well for Keima but from Haqua's reaction, she was at least interested in Keima for her to betray such an obvious denial.

Diana would never tell Tenri that she had said that Tenri was Keima's fiancée out loud to Haqua as she worried that Tenri would be too shocked by the news.

Nevertheless, Diana had told Tenri about Haqua and ever since then, she had been a little curious about this girl's relationship to him.

'You don't want to lose to Haqua-san, do you?'

'N-Not really...'

'Then this is a good opportunity to try and get closer to him. Come on, let's go. Waiting is for the weak, we should play our hand when we have them!'

Urging Tenri on, Diana smiled and nodded in satisfaction as Tenri finally relented and agreed to Diana's plan on showing him her new tricks.

* * *

..

At least, that was the plan and Tenri found herself not even making across her own garden when she caught sight of a girl walking together with Keima in the distance.

'… That Katsuragi...'

Thanks to her image reflected by the mirror on her magic box, Diana looked genuinely angry but as Tenri popped down to hide herself from the two of them, Diana calmed herself and Tenri down by saying that the girl could just be one of Elsi's friends.

Tenri wasn't so sure as she didn't think that Keima would go out of the way to help another girl, or engage in conversation with another person unless it was absolutely necessary. That said, Tenri kept her opinion to herself even as the two of them pushed open the front gate of Keima's home and from their hiding point they could hear that yes, Katsuragi Keima was indeed having quite an animated and passionate conversation with the girl, causing Diana to turn red in anger again while Tenri was left shell-shocked as she had never heard him talk like that, ever!

'H-How... dare he... when he already has Tenri...'

Diana's rage was uncontrollable and she swept aside Tenri's consciousness in a heartbeat even as Tenri protested, trying to hold Diana back by grabbing hold of her own gate to stop Diana from running over to confront the two of them immediately.

'S-Stop it, Diana! Stop it, please!'

'Now is not the time to hesitate, Tenri! We caught him cheating on you with another girl!'

Diana screamed in her subconscious and her scream did cause Tenri's grip to weaken slightly. Diana took the opportunity to charge forward towards the Katsuragi Household, taking control of Tenri's body in the same time.

Oh right, that's something that was not mentioned before. Tenri and Diana share the same body but they do not share a common memory, at least that's what it seemed like. There were instances where Tenri was able to see some of Diana's memories but Diana, being a goddess, should have access to all of Tenri's memories from the time where she entered Tenri's body.

..

'Ah, good evening, Tenri-chan~ Have you came over to play?'

Smiling as she greeted them, Katsuragi Mari forced Diana to retreat back to Tenri's consciousness even as the shy girl bowed to Mari, Keima's mother. It was dumb luck that had saved Keima and that girl that he was with as Mari, who was out clearing some plates, invited Tenri over to have some new cakes that she had prepared.

'We're always trying out new recipes, so have some, Tenri-chan.'

Smiling as she pushed a plate of cake over to her, Mari waited for Tenri to start digging in even as Diana, who was inside Tenri, raged at the unexpected turn of events.

'Tenri, Tenri, you have to ask Mari-san who that girl was!'

Despite Diana's urging, Tenri was unable to do so and she just quietly started on the cake but as she did, a smile broke out on her face as she tasted the vanilla ice-cream hidden within the layers of the cake. It was pure sugar bliss and the two of them tried another bite and another and another...

'T-This is delicious, M-Mari-san! It really is.'

Tenri couldn't help herself and her compliments made Mari smile in delight as well.

'That's great to hear! Finish up and you can have some tea, I'll tell Keima-kun that you're here to play after you finished the cake.'

Even though Mari had 'successfully distracted' Tenri and Diana momentarily while she slowly ate the cake, Mari's parting words made Diana remember the reason for them being here in the first place.

'Tenri! The girl!'

Before Tenri could say a word, out popped Katsuragi Elsi, Keima's sister. The young demon, dressed in her usual attire, her school uniform with an apron over it, greeted Tenri with a small bow and a big smile with her usual broom in tow.

'Good afternoon, Tenri~~ Are you well? And is Diana too?'

Elsi, Keima and Haqua were a few of the individuals that knew Diana existed and amongst all of them, Diana was most comfortable around Elsi as she was polite, gave her the respect she deserved but was unfortunately very naïve and innocent, meaning that she can't be counted on for help.

That said...

'Elsi-san.'

Surging inside and subsequently pushing Tenri aside, Diana narrowed her eyes as she cut to the chase immediately, preventing Tenri from interfering again as she asked Elsi who was the girl that had come home together with Keima.

'Eh? Ah, you mean Aoba-chan~'

Smiling as she answered, Elsi was a little taken aback, not to mention intimidated by the glint in Diana's eyes as she demanded to know more about her.

'Aoba-chan... desu ka? W-Well... E-Even if you ask me...'

Looking nervous at how Diana was interrogating her, Elsi was about to say more when she gave a sigh of relief when another voice spoke up coldly and confidently behind her.

'I believe you are talking about me, I am Fuse Aoba...'

A cold and calculating voice, not too dissimilar to how Diana sometimes spoke. The goddess turned around to come face to face with the **Mai-Hime**, Fuse Aoba.

'Fuse Aoba... I remember your name now.'

Narrowing her eyes in return to how Aoba was looking at her, Diana noticed that she was carrying a gadget that Keima called a PFP in her hands as well but she was pre-empted from saying more as Aoba took the initiative from her.

'And who might you be to ask who I am? You are not amongst _us..._Therefore you do not have the right, or a claim to the **Capturing God** today.'

Dismissing her with a slight shake of her head, Aoba was about to leave the cafe and into the living quarters of the Katsuragi Household if not for Diana reaching out to grab a hold of her shoulders.

'Is there anything more?'

Her arrogant tone pissed Diana off but she had an ace in the hole as she told the girl, Fuse Aoba, that she was Keima's fiancée.

..

'Impossible.'

It was shocking to see how she dismissed that claim as though it was nothing and Aoba narrowed her eyes as she declared that Diana was lying almost immediately after she said so.

'Kami-sama would have told us about this and since he didn't, you're nothing but an imposter trying to stake...'

Pausing suddenly, Diana was taken aback when the girl turned to look at her again, accessing her looks closely before asking a barrage of questions.

'Who are you? Are you a new capture by him? A classmate perhaps or a fellow club member? Are you a transfer student? A senior or a junior class-man? Or perhaps from another school? Did you meet him somewhere else? Or are you a childhood friend? What are you?'

The barrage of questions made Diana take a few nervous step back as she continued to go on about things that she thought only Keima would talk about.

'I thought that there'll be no one like Katsuragi... I guess I was mistaken.'

Crossing her arms even as Fuse raised an eyebrow to her words, Diana noted that she seemed both proud and surprised for Diana to say that and she nodded her head in acknowledgement.

'I too am surprised, for you to recognize those words and the meanings behind them... you must know the **Capturing God **well. I would be rude not to introduce myself then. I am Fuse Aoba, the **Mai-Hime **and the **Capturing God**'s disciple.'

Finishing her introduction, Fuse Aoba looked at Diana, expecting her to say something and after a while, Diana considered before switching bodies with Tenri, throwing the ball at the poor girl and hoping that she would do her best with this new challenger.

'Ano... Ayukawa Tenri desu... I live just beside Keima-kun's house...'

It was a weak introduction at best but it seemed that Aoba was nonetheless surprised as she nodded her head in understanding.

'With your interest in Kami-sama, with that setup I assume that you are either: 'The Girl-Next-Door' or the 'Childhood Friend'. As the former is taken, you should be the latter. Am I accurate to say that? Of course, 'transfer student' is possible but that possibility is small at best. One of us would have realized a transfer student was approaching Kami-sama after all.'

Diana noted once again that this girl must have very high expectations or at least rated Keima highly for him to call him Kami-sama like Elsi does all the time.

'H-Hai, I knew... Keima-kun since we were children.'

It seemed sufficient for Diana to see Aoba back away a little as she clutched her chest at the statement.

'… I see, you are perhaps the most formidable foe we have met so far... At least, that was what I wish to say... Unfortunately, you would have your fair share of competitors around, Ayukawa-san. Even if you do hold a significant advantage.'

Being far more polite than Tenri or Diana had thought her capable of, their eyes widened when Keima made his entrance together with his PFP behind Fuse.

'Aoba, how long are you going to take with the drinks... Ah.'

Looking stunned at Tenri's presence, Keima was unable to continue on as Diana took over again and grabbed him by the scruff of his collar angrily almost instantly as she lunged at him.

'Katsuragi, how dare you do this to Tenri? You already have Tenri but you have another girl hanging about in your room!'

'L-Let go of me, Diana!'

'Interesting... this is a new development. However, I must remind the two of you that we are in the cafe right now.'

As the voice of reason, Fuse Aoba smiled slightly as Diana released Keima and her smile got even bigger as Elsi ushered all of them into the living quarters, the customers in the cafe gossiping and chatting about youths nowadays as they left.

'Now isn't this interesting?'

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: Ahh... If you thought I'm done with MW's, all of you are mistaken. That said, it seems the ending hasn't generated enough comments about Rea than I thought. There's a poll up, so please do it.**


	19. Interlude Enter a Goddess 2

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 19: Interlude – Enter a Goddess II**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: So, back to your regular MW's. I'll really love it if you guys tell me more about what you guys feel about Rea rather than getting excited over Tenri x Diana... Anyway. Thank you ****_AKAAKIRA_**** for the beta as always!**

* * *

..

Sitting together in Keima's room, the **Capturing God**, Katsuragi Keima sighed as Tenri/Diana insisted on sitting between him and Aoba while he wondered why this happened. He knew how clingy or insistent Diana can get at times but this time it was really off the charts as she demanded to know why Aoba was allowed into his room when Tenri wasn't.

Tenri must be too embarrassed or too concerned as she had not intervened so far and so Keima could cross out the hope that Tenri would help the situation this time.

That said, he wasn't really sure how to begin either as he had purposely avoided Tenri like the plague while his 'atonement ' with the girls were going on. In hindsight, he should have figured that a situation would have developed.

No, he knew that it would develop, it would depend on how he handled it... well, he would have thought about it if it hadn't exploded in his face.

It didn't help that Fuse Aoba, of all people, had to be the one to interact with Tenri first; now that she was interested and curious about this new development, she won't go away till she figured everything out.

He should know as he was her master after all.

'Now, shall we begin with the introductions, Tenri-san?'

Looking at her eagerly and curiously, Aoba was like a dog that was on the scent and unfortunately, Keima knew it was exactly like that.

'…'

Looking at him, Keima knew that she wanted _him_ to explain the situation and he coughed slightly to get their attention, yes, even Elsi's, even though the bug demon was clever enough to _not _get involved this time. He'll get her back for this next time.

'Tenri, Diana, this is Fuse Aoba, as you might have known by now, she is my disciple and one of the girls that I 'captured'.'

'Captured?'

Looking confused at the term, Keima wondered how should he start explaining this when Aoba interrupted him instead and stated bluntly that the 'captured' girls referred to girls that he had successfully made them fall in love with him.

'Of course, as to why he did that, it is unknown to us still. If it is of any comfort to you, Ayukawa-san.'

..

Fuse seemed to ignore how Diana was once again gripping Keima's collar tightly as she paused briefly before continuing.

'We were not aware of him doing so until recently. Yes, perhaps we did feel something different towards him but never did we once believe that we would have fallen for him. Due to an unknown cause, all of us awakened to the memory of being 'captured' by Katsuragi here together...'

Before she could continue however, she saw Diana's shoulders slumping slightly as she croaked out in disbelief.

'We? As in... there are more of you, Aoba-san? More girls... who...'

Finding it difficult to say the word out loud, Aoba finished the sentence for her with a small smile.

'Yes, there are more girls who are in love with Katsuragi. As to the exact number, I'll leave that to your imagination...'

Smiling mischievously even as Keima glared daggers at her for fanning the flames, Keima cleared his throat again to get the attention of Diana and Tenri before looking at Fuse meaningfully.

'… You wish to have some time alone with her? B-But, Kami-sama...'

Looking a little surprised and at the same time, hurt, Fuse Aoba eventually acceded to his request and made her way out despite protests and questions stemming from: 'What does she has to do with all of this', 'Does she knows Keima's secret?', to the most humiliating one of all, 'Why her?'

Aoba swore that she caught sight of Diana giving her a small smirk in triumph in the end even as she left the room in disbelief and anger.

'I was right the first time, she is probably the most dangerous foe we ever faced if Katsuragi is able to tell her the _truth._'

..

The truth was something that none of them had been able to pry from him, Haqua or Elsi. The former two were no surprise but to think that even Elsi was stubborn enough to refuse them any information showed how important the issue was.

If that girl, Ayukawa Tenri was involved in that issue as well, it would surely complicate matters between him and 'them', the 'captured girls' as a whole.

Aoba wasn't that happy with how Keima handled the situation with Shiori's friend but as he had finished the job by himself in the end, not relying on Shiori or even Tsukiyo to close the deal, she hadn't commented much.

Part of her was glad that at least he was being truthful in how he was handling the 'situation' and 'emergency' that concerned Shiori's friend. But a part of her was a little concerned that he was pulling her friends into the unknown without telling them what they should be prepared for.

Unlike her, the other girls were not as manipulative or flexible in their friendship or relationship as the two of them. Also, Keima and Fuse saw the world in two different planes, the W**orld/Ideal** together with the R**eal.**

The **World/Ideal** would refer to the world that they are called the **Capturing God** and the **Mai-Hime**, the world of galges and in that world they are the protagonists. By extension, all of the girls who fell in love with them were 'destined' to do so and the world would revolve around them to accommodate them.

In the **Real,** where all of them are living in, there are many complicated matters surrounding any relationships and one key thing that Aoba feared that Keima would neglect by accident would be to take into consideration the feelings of the girls who were being roped into helping him.

Unlike them, she wasn't sure that they'll be able to just 'forget' what had happened during the capture.

Well, Aoba wasn't sure if she _could_ herself but from seeing what Keima felt after his 'atonement', she was sure that not even Keima was sure 100% of the time. Well, if Shiori and Tsukiyo could accept it, Aoba would close one eye on that matter.

* * *

..

'I see, so the girls were possessed by Weiss, thus your role is to assist Elsi and New Hell in pursuing and capture the Weiss that are residing in the body of the girls.'

That was news to her and it was something that Diana could accept but wasn't so sure as to how Tenri would react. Diana liked Tenri very much; she was a person that Diana valued due to the help, support and understanding that she had showed for her throughout the years, not to mention Tenri's concern for her. So Diana did not wish for Tenri to get involved in her personal matters if she could help it.

'Even so, couldn't you do so with another method? I am sure that there are other ways to extract the Weiss from their bodies...'

No sooner did Diana suggest that did Keima narrow his eyes and pointed out that if not for his method of capturing Weiss with love, Diana wouldn't be able to gain her Halo at all, causing the goddess to splutter in disbelief at the cheek of the man.

'Besides, that is the only thing that I know that can help the girls.'

Keima looked a little wistful as he said that, the rare expression making Diana pause and she sighed in defeat while looking around his room.

It's her first time in a boy's room like this and despite Elsi being present (she was standing guard at the door), Diana felt a little tensed and embarrassed being here.

'Now that I am up to date with the situation, the only question now is to ask Katsuragi-san when you were going to fill me in on these details. I told you before and I would repeat them for as long as it takes for you to remember this by heart.

My power stems from Tenri's love for you, and I do not believe that you would cheat on Tenri like this when you have her. What is more frustrating and unbelievable about this is that you are doing so with more than one individual. What do... they all see in you?'

Even as Diana shook her head, Keima refrained from commenting that Tenri was an individual that has fallen in love with him too and instead waited for Diana to continue on.

'… Do you expect me to just drop this, Katsuragi-san? Well... even if Katsuragi-san does have suitors, it does not change the fact that the person who you will belong to in the end, Tenri! So enjoy your little harem will you can, Katsuragi-san.'

Looking at him fiercely, Diana wasn't particularly impressed with how Keima was dealing with the situation, especially since she knew that girl earlier, Fuse Aoba, was an individual who was very similar and perhaps close to him.

It did not sit well with her, especially since she could tell that if Tenri would have to get pass her to get close Keima, Tenri would never, ever 'win' against someone like her.

..

'Another thing to note is that how you adamantly refused to remove their memories again. It would be simple with Elsi-san and Haqua-san's help, would it not?'

Diana asked curtly, even as she herself realized that she was being rude to Keima and subsequently, felt a little bad at that. For Keima's benefit, he simply nodded his head in agreement but her hopes were dashed when Keima said it wasn't possible, not without their risks anyway.

'We still do not know the exact reason that they regained their memories of what happened. It could be a momentary lapse in New Hell's part but since we made peace with all of them, I do not believe that we should attempt any other... countermeasures that might endanger the current situation. The saying goes: 'Let sleeping dogs lie'... if they should regain their memories after another modification, they wouldn't take well to what they have been subjected to again. Well, if only we could find the culprit that has been responsible for this...'

Diana wasn't listening to Keima as she felt a surge of disbelief reigniting hope in her heart at the news that Keima didn't exactly know why they were able to regain or keep their memories.

After all, Tenri was one of those 'captured' girls that had retained their memories due to Diana's influence. Her powers prevented new Hell's magic from modifying Tenri's memories and this made her unique, or so she thought.

If the other girls experienced the same situation, it might mean that her sisters were amongst those girls!

..

'!'

Immediately after thinking that, Diana felt the same sense of foreboding earlier catch up with her and she groaned a little as she realized that her worst fear had really materialized. Her sisters might all be Keima's lovers, past or present, or at least had special feelings for Keima.

Even if it was thanks to Keima that Diana was able to regain her powers, it had it's own problems. Namely, that love is the source of their powers. If all her sisters loved Keima in turn, what would become of her and Tenri?

Tenri being laid back and comfortable with the situation would make her relationship, and by extension Diana's powers, to be at a huge risk of being undermined.

'Diana?'

Jumping a little as Keima stared at her with that narrowed eyes expression that hinted that he was suspicious of something. Diana looked away guiltily and said that she wasn't paying attention.

'Well, that is the situation for now, I wanted to inform you of the proceedings in an appropriate time but... there were complications along the way.'

Sighing as he remembered the recent capture of Konoe Rea and the many 'atonement' activities that he had done for the past few weeks, Katsuragi Keima wanted to get this over with and he asked what Diana wanted to do about this situation.

'I'm sure that there would be repercussions that would result from you, especially seeing you are adamant about protecting Tenri's interest. So tell me, what do you wish from me to make up for this lapse? I'll listen to all of your complaints today...'

It was quite rare for Keima to admit a fault, any fault, so directly to her and Diana wondered what she should do about his gift. At least he seemed sincere as he wasn't struggling to get out of accepting his responsibility.

Yes, Diana wanted him to take responsibility for making Tenri fall in love with him as she had taken Tenri's and her first kiss, it was something that was very precious to any girl and up till now, Keima hadn't wanted to pay his dues at all.

..

'No, it's... not Katsuragi-san's fault that this happened. I can be understanding as well, you did not choose your targets as they were chosen for you. I was too rash earlier, please forgive me, Katsuragi-san.'

Biting her lip as she tried to phrase the right words, Diana looked at Keima evenly as he looked back at her in surprise.

'If I were to doubt or to oppose that, it would mean that I would have to be opposed to the same reason and method that had brought Katsuragi-san together with Tenri again.'

Speaking slowly and watching with satisfaction as Keima smiled ever so slightly before looking away to hide that smile, Diana knew that she had earned some points today again as she bowed to him.

'Although I would prefer it, no, I would wish for Keima-san to be with Tenri and to give her happiness. It is a matter of fact that the other girls have the same feelings for Keima-san. Even if...'

Diana trembled in what seemed to be rage or at least, unhappiness, she managed to choke out her last words anyway.

'Even if I do know that Tenri has been harboring those feelings for a longer time and that Tenri would definitely not lose to them in that regard, I... cannot, in good conscience, as a goddess as well as a fellow woman, totally disregard their feelings.'

Showing maturity befitting of her status as a goddess, Diana looked evenly as Keima digested what Diana had just told him.

'…'

From the way that he couldn't say a single word, Diana was satisfied that she had for once, got one over Keima and she got up to take her leave.

'I'll fill Tenri in with what you have told me. It is disappointing that Tenri would not be able to show you what she has been practising on today, but this takes precedence over all that. Thank you, once again for being frank with us.'

Getting up and bowing to Keima again, Diana took solace in the fact that she hadn't told Keima about her sisters yet; now that she had a lead that might lead her to them, she wouldn't need to get Keima involved at all.

No, it was her sisters that they were talking about and her responsibility to find them too.

'Ah.'

As she left the room, Diana bumped into a person that she least expected to see.

'H-Hallo...'

Haqua du lut Herminium greeted her before she was pulled away by Diana, her face set while Haqua struggled in her grasp.

'H-Hey! I-I admit that I was eavesdropping but this is a little too much! L-Let me go! Hey!'

* * *

..

'Are you listening to me at all, hey?'

Looking upset and a little ticked off at being forced over to Tenri's room, Haqua paused in the middle of her tirade of complaints when Diana bowed and subsequently knelt down to her suddenly.

'E-Eh? W-What? What's going on? What are you doing? J-Just get up! It's embarrassing like this!"

Haqua was skeptical of Diana's claim that she was a goddess but she did not doubt Diana's strength and character as she was an individual that was able to cleave a celestial raiment in half with her bare hands. Regardless of what Diana's true identity was, Haqua knew that Keima acknowledged her uniqueness, not to mention how she was an oddity as she retained memories of Keima's capture of her.

'Please, Haqua-san, I have a request that only you can grant. It means a lot to me and I would be indebted to you if you would help me out.'

Swallowing her pride, Diana recognized the difficulty of the task at hand if she did not wish to involve Keima. Not only did she not know the girls Keima had 'captured' before, she had no means to get close to them as well.

It's not like she could just waltz in and speak to them for no reason.

Well, she _could_ but she knew that Tenri wouldn't be able to. Not to mention that even if her sisters were present in the girls that he captured, their looks were totally different from before and although Diana was quite a decent judge of character, determining whether her sisters was present due to their personalities was totally impossible.

Just like how she was residing in Tenri's body, Diana's personality was almost the mirror of the shy Tenri and thus her dilemma. Should she depend on Keima after all?

However, that dilemma was partly solved when she saw Haqua, another person with links to New Hell and who was quite knowledgeable of the situation at hand.

If she could help her out, perhaps there wasn't a need to involve Keima at all!

'W-Well... I... L-Let's hear it then...'

* * *

**Author's Notes: Poll. Do my poll!**


	20. Interlude – Enter a Goddess 3

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 20: Interlude – Enter a Goddess III**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Ah, Ah.. ****_Log Horizon _****is an awesome light novel. Check it out if you can find a copy~**

**Again, thank you, ****_AKAAkira _****for the beta, I wouldn't have gotten this far without you.**

* * *

**..**

Looking distinctively uncomfortable as Diana and Tenri straightened her back and looked at her thankfully, Haqua settled down on a chair and listened intently as Diana explained the situation to her in full, including her sisters and of course, her search for them.

She was really a good listener though, one that paid attention and asked goods questions between the gaps but what surprised Diana was what Haqua said after her explanation.

'Why don't you ask Katsuragi for help? If it's regarding _those_ girls that he has met before, he should know better than I do, right? Besides, he has changed a lot lately... at least, the way he does things... I'm sure that he'll help you if you ask him.'

Looking just as embarrassed as she was saying this, Haqua nodded in satisfaction as Diana played with her fingers and asked if it was true, that Keima had been behaving a little differently lately.

'Uh huh... he told you about how those girls remembered what had happened desho? Of course, I can't believe that even one of them could even like him before, much less continue to like him after all that has happened...'

Watching Haqua grumble a little, Diana allowed herself a small smile as she nodded in understanding to her words. He was a weird person and someone that one couldn't imagine falling in love with but it was the truth that some girls did do that, fall in love with a weird guy anyway.

'It would... perhaps be better if I asked him for assistance and from your words, the likelihood of him cooperating with me is indeed high. But even so, I do not wish to involve him in this matter if I could help it. It is a matter that is best kept between the goddesses and New Hell.'

Even if Keima was an ally of the goddesses and deeply involved in the matters of New Hell, Diana knew that Tenri wouldn't want Keima to be involved in something dangerous because of her.

'T-True...'

Sighing, Haqua looked to the side, calculating her own options while Diana just looked at her evenly, hoping that she would at least lend a hand.

'… Alright, I'll help you for a while. But only _for a while_. I'll help you get into school and point out the girls that you want to meet. That's all that I'll do, if you're still not satisfied, I guess you'll have no choice but to ask Katsuragi for help.'

Sighing as she leaned back against her chair, Haqua was uncomfortable with the way she was pushing the burden onto from Keima but she had nary a choice. This girl was an enigma even to her and she believed the further she was away from her, the better. Yes, it was good to earn brownie points from her now but she wasn't getting too involved with her if she could help it.

'Thank you for your help, Haqua-san. I will be indebted to you for helping me out in this way.'

Bowing to her again, Diana seemed excited about the prospects of looking for her sisters, Haqua managed a small sigh nonetheless.

'Well... it'll only be for tomorrow, okay? Not like... we'll have any other opportunities seeing Aoba is taking Keima's time today.'

Haqua looked a little disappointed at that. She jumped a little as Diana once again switched bodies with Tenri and the two of them looked at each other awkwardly before she suddenly smiled and thanked her again.

'I... I know what Haqua-san and Diana were discussing. I too want to know, who the... other girls are. And.. most importantly, how they felt, so thank you, Haqua-san, for helping me and Diana out.'

Smiling shyly as Haqua turned a little red at being thanked again, Tenri spoke her mind even as Haqua listened on, feeling more awkward at the drastic change in personalities.

'There are things that I know Diana... might be hiding from me. But, I know that Diana only does that if she feels it's unsafe... but I do hope that Haqua-san... atleast... would be , truthful with me, please...'

'I agree... that there are things that are better left unsaid, Tenri-san. Especially if you are Katsuragi's fiancée.'

'E-Eh? F-Fiancée? I'm not... that's just Diana saying so. I'm not engaged to Keima-san at all...'

'But you want to, don't you?'

Turning redder as Haqua teased her, Tenri looked away as Haqua reflected that Fuse Aoba's influence was really showing, not to mention how she was able to say that out loud without hesitating at all.

Had she really given up herself? Or was she just trying to test the determination of this shy girl? Haqua didn't really know but she simply told herself that at least it was going to be interesting helping the two girls conduct their investigation.

'I'm... really rubbing off her, aren't I?'

Haqua spoke softly to herself as the **Mai-Hime's** shadow was featured predominately over her and Tenri. Haqua winced a little as she imagined the **Mai-Hime's **annoying but smug smile even as the shy girl asked her if she would mind being her audience in one of her magic rehearsals.

* * *

..

..

Ayukawa Tenri, a girl who was possessed by a Goddess was on her journey of discovery to seek out her love rivals that were residing around and near her crush, Katsuragi Keima.

Of course, that wasn't just her objective, her main objective, or at least, the Goddess named Diana's main objective was to look for her sisters, who might be residing in those girl's body just like how she was doing in Tenri's.

'I appreciate the help, Haqua-san.'

Tenri said, nodding to her 'partner', Haqua de lut Herminum who had managed to source out a Mai-High uniform for Tenri. Haqua reminded Tenri that she had cast a spell that would hide her true identity from others who were not influenced by New Hell's magic.

_'I wouldn't know whether those girls could see through this disguise though. They seem to be an exception if they can overcome the memory modification that New Hell did to them. But it should help you walk around school with no problems.'_

It was hard for Tenri to accept that they were playing truant today but Diana had explained and subsequently, persuaded Tenri in the end, telling her that it was necessary as if she continued to be complacent, satisfied with what she has now, Keima might be out of her reach when she grew comfortable enough to reach out for him.

Especially now, since Haqua confirmed that all of those girls were all not actively waiting but were doing their best to catch his eye.

..

'It's not just Aoba, the other girls that are doing their best too. So, Tenri-san, you will have to work harder if you wish to be engaged to Katsuragi.'

Teasing her as Tenri finished her performance, which Haqua enjoyed quite a bit, Haqua told Tenri of the girls that she would be trying to introduce to her.

'All of them are friends, they were brought together as they had the common interest in Katsuragi, shocking as it may seem to you, but they don't seem to mind the arrangement and I'm not one to comment on that.'

Frowning a little as Tenri seemed a little confused at what she meant, Haqua explained patiently that all of them would continued to be friends with each other even though they were technically love rivals.

'They wouldn't interfere with each other, nor would they dislike or hate each other for what they would do to gain Katsuragi. Most importantly, they would not force him to concede on any point and all choices he made shall be of his own free will, with none of their past being an influencing factor. That is the rules that were drawn up by Aoba and agreed by all the girls. It is easy to understand but difficult to implement and maintain if not for insisting that it was the best plan for all of them.'

It was a difficult thing to do, to willingly give up all of their advantages that they held over Keima, but as Aoba reasoned with all of them it's best and fair for all of them to start with a clean slate.

'..._He doesn't deserve to be bogged down by all this, especially when he was the one who went out of the way to resolve our problems.'_

She had all of them silenced with that one sentence and they had agreed to her plan, to start afresh with him being the centre of attention for all of them.

..  
..

'So good luck, Tenri-san, and please relay my message to Diana-san as well. I wish her luck in her quest... I'll be beside you all the way so call me if you need me.'

Winking at Tenri as she saw the timid girl off before cloaking herself in her raiment, Haqua wondered if the standard cloaking defences would be sufficient to hide her from Elsi even as Tenri timidly approached Keima's house.

She had no doubts that Keima would be able to see through Tenri's cover like it wasn't there and she hoped that Tenri, or at least Diana, had the sense and initiative to at least hide herself well before she ended the operation before it even began.

Looking on, Haqua spotted the first 'target' that Diana should approach, a certain girl named Yoshino Asami, as she went about her daily visit to the Katsuragi household to walk to school together with Keima.

It had became quite a common sight nowadays and due to the Katsuragi Household being part cafe, there wasn't a need for her to ring the doorbell and she entered the cafe with no opposition at all.

'She's Yoshino Asami, a classmate of Katsuragi...'

Haqua muttered into the receiver for Tenri to hear and with that, the operation was on!

* * *

..

It was very nerve wrecking process as Tenri could not afford to be seen by Keima at all while still following the three of them to school today.

It was her first time to Mai-High as well and she thanked the gods that Haqua agreed to help her along the way. If she was left to her own devices, there was no doubt that she would have given up the moment they entered the school compound as she couldn't differentiate one student from another by herself.

Unfortunately, so occupied was she in her own thoughts that Keima, together with Asami, disappeared into nowhere, causing Tenri to panic a little till Haqua urged her to hide in a corner of the school before she cloaked the two of them with her raiment.

'Honestly, are you two even prepared for this?'

Looking at her crossly, Haqua shook her head as Tenri apologized to her again and repeatedly to boot even as Haqua guided the two of them along the corridors towards Keima's classroom. She didn't want to help them so far but it seems that she had nary a choice.

'There, he's in class 2-B, although it's not a good idea to go in there, Katsuragi is able to see through our disguises as he is a buddy of a member of the Weiss Capturing Squad. I can point the girls out to you though. That's all I'm going to do.'

Frowning even as the two of them peeped over the windows into the classroom, Haqua pointed at the two girls that were chatting together with Elsi out to Tenri.

'Those two are Ayumi and Chihiro, the two of them are classmates of Keima too. You see Asami over there too, right? She's sitting behin-'

Haqua would like to say more but she flinched and hurriedly pulled Tenri along with her down another corridor in a diving motion, causing Tenri to gasp deeply in shock even as Haqua pressed a finger against her lips.

'I didn't think that she'll come to school today, that's a surprise... well, you should have heard of her as well, over there, Kanon.'

Peeping from the other corridor, Tenri paled a little as she saw a familiar looking pink-haired idol walk into class. Tenri's face was frozen in an expression of shock at knowing that _the _Nakagawa Kanon was one of Keima's assumed lovers as well.

'K-Kanon-chan too? T-That's...'

Realizing the large mountain that she had to climb, Tenri paled a little but it seemed to do nothing to dampen Diana's spirit as she took over Tenri's body with a curt smile directed at Kanon's direction.

'That's nothing... Tenri's love for Katsuragi won't lose to such a small setback.'

Diana declared confidently even as Haqua simply laughed and shook her head.

'I wish you luck.'

..

Haqua said so sincerely before pulling Tenri to continue looking over at the going-ons in class. Kanon's appearance has caused a small frenzy in class even as Elsi, Ayumi and Chihiro waved cheerfully over at Kanon, who headed over to their small group immediately after spotting them.

'… They seem to be good friends.'

Tenri mumbled while Haqua nodded in agreement at her words. It was a common fact that the three of them were good friends, although some of Kanon's fans wondered how that could be possible as they seemed to be friends suddenly out of the blue.

'Ano... who is that girl, Haqua-san?'

Pointing at another girl who had just arrived and subsequently joined them, Haqua shrugged as she said that she wasn't sure.

'She isn't one of the girls that you would be interested in, but I think I remember Elsi talking about her being part of the band that they are in together.'

Looking at the girl in question, Terada Miyako while commenting, Haqua caught sight of the homeroom teacher coming their way and she urged Tenri to squat against the wall and wait for her to enter class.

To their surprise though, the person walking down the corridor paused as her eyes scanned passed them, almost as if studying them and for a brief moment, Haqua swore that she locked eyes with her momentarily before she continued along her way into the classroom.

'Was... I just imagining it?'

Haqua asked herself doubtfully even as class 2-B's homeroom teacher, Nikaido Yuri stepped into the class with an amused smile on her face.

* * *

..

As home-room started, Tenri and Haqua moved off to another class to check on the girls. Despite herself, Haqua was enjoying it a little; it felt like she was on a covert mission of some sorts and she was getting a little excited as Tenri plodded on with her, feeling extremely nervous.

Tenri must be dwelling on the girls that she had met, as they were far more beautiful than she'd imagine, Kanon-chan and Takahara Ayumi were cute girls in their own right and it made her a little conscious of herself, finding it a relief that she had been brave enough to trim her bangs to reveal more of her face.

She was a modest girl but she believed in what Diana said; that she had beautiful eyes and it would do her good if she showed them off.

Of course, Diana told Tenri that she could have any men she wanted if she just stared at them long enough with her eyes, which was surely an exaggeration.

'Okay, the coast is clear, Tenri-san. Look at the blonde girl in the middle of the room there.'

Pointing to Tsukiyo, Haqua ducked down when she turned in her direction, pulling Tenri down with her again as she introduced her to Tenri.

'She is Kujyo Tsukiyo-san, from Class 2-A, and the other girl over there...'

Crawling over to the front of the class and peeping over the windows again, Haqua pointed out Aoyama Mio, who was scribbling on her notebook while listening to class.

'Aoyama Mio-san, those two are girls that Katsuragi captured Weiss from as well.'

Wondering how much Diana had filled Tenri in, Haqua looked awkward when Diana switched bodies with Tenri almost immediately.

'…'

Looking at her awkwardly as they sat against the wall, Haqua waited for Diana to say something but it seemed that the Diana and Tenri were in a heated discussion with each other. Deciding that it wasn't really safe here, Haqua led Tenri to an empty classroom and waited.

'I apologize.'

Speaking out after a few minutes, Diana looked embarrassed as she told Haqua that she hadn't filled Tenri in on everything, leaving out information about the Weiss and Old Hell.

'… I didn't want to get her involved if I could help it. I guess I can't stop her.'

Diana was a little pensive as Haqua waited patiently for her to finish her line of thought.

'Perhaps I was too careful. I... had hurt Tenri by withholding that information from her.'

Diana did not know why she told Haqua that; the two of them weren't close enough to share her woes with. But it felt right somehow for her to tell Haqua as the other girl was very understanding, reassuring even as she sat beside her and listened.

'… Tenri-san has been with you for a long time, hasn't she, Diana-san?'

Speaking out after a lengthy pause between the two of them, Diana nodded and smiled as Haqua told her that Diana should give Tenri some time to clear her thoughts.

'The other girls were the same, although Katsuragi didn't tell them about New Hell or the Weiss. I should have thought of that and should have been more sensitive. Please forgive me.'

Looking apologetic as well, Haqua listened as Diana said that it was her fault, not Haqua's.

'I'll fill Tenri in on everything if she's willing to listen. It is a severe hindsight on my part; I had never considered Tenri's feelings in this matter. Please excuse us and we would be in your care, Haqua-san.'

Nodding to her, Haqua watched as Diana lapsed into another bout of silence. As the minutes ticked by, she wondered to herself how did some of the other girls thought about the situation as well.

..

'I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Haqua-san... I-I'm ready to go now.'

Changing bodies with Diana, Tenri smiled nervously at Haqua and nodded when Haqua asked her if she was really fine.

'I...I am, Haqua-san. I was surprised at what Haqua-san told me and what Diana didn't, but I want to help Diana too. Diana is my best friend, my closest friend... and I want to help her for all the things that she has helped me in as well. T-That's why, it's okay... even if it's dangerous, if Keima-san and Diana is with me, I'll be fine.'

Brave words from an ordinary girl and Haqua smiled in understanding. In that respect, the trust and bond she had with her counterpart as well as her belief in Keima was something she could be envious about.

'So... Let's go then, Tenri-san, there's still a long way more to go.

* * *

**Author's Notes: I'll update AZ when I get my groove back, it's going to take a few more days while I sort myself out emotionally.**


	21. Interlude – Enter a Goddess 4

**The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish**

**Chapter 21: Interlude – Enter a Goddess IV**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: I'll be frank with ya. I'm devastated at the lack of reviews for MW's, which is actually very depressing seeing that I am having loads more fun with this than AZ atm. This is a serious flaw, so tell me guys, what am I doing wrong?**

**If you are griping about the rate of updates.. deal with it. IRL is more important.**

**That said, thank you, ****_AKAAKIRA, _****thank you for the beta, I know I'm driving you nuts, but you're all I got now**

* * *

**..**

_'A-Ah, I'll be late again!'_

_Rushing back from the swimming complex of Mai-High, Ikoma Minami was visibly distressed as she was late for her next lesson, again. It had been a habit of hers to spend some time in the pool during lunch if she had the time but due to how focused she had been today, it has became a matter of concern for her as she hadn't been able to return back to class on time in more than one occasion when she was too focused._

_It wasn't for the lack of trying though and Minami only stopped running when she received a message from her classmates that they'll be doing self-revision today, causing her to sigh in relief before adopting a much more relaxed walking speed back to her class._

_'Ahh... my hair's messed up again.'_

_Frowning unhappily as she tried to rub her hair dry while walking towards her class, something which seemed a little unsightly in school, Minami blinked in surprise when she saw someone that shouldn't even be there, at least not in school._

_'Ah, Haqua-san!'_

_Waving and calling out to her from the first floor to Haqua, who was walking about in the third floor, Minami beamed even as Haqua waved back to her uncertainly and awkwardly._

_Running up the flight of stairs to the third floor, where her class was located, Minami realized that it was perhaps lucky of her to be heard by Haqua at all. Which begs the question, why was she here today when there wasn't a gathering with the rest of the seniors? And why at her block? Was she here to speak with her?_

_'Good afternoon, Haqua-san~ Ah, I didn't know you have a friend with you, I'm so sorry.'_

_Spotting someone beside her, Minami bowed to her and introduced herself._

_'Ikoma Minami desu, yoroshiku, Onegaishimasu!'_

..

Seeing that Minami could see through the raiment disguise that Haqua had veiled over the two of them, Haqua had taken the time to explain to Tenri who Minami was. It was perhaps a stroke of luck at this point as Minami was a very agreeable girl who was usually in awe of her seniors, especially a certain Third Year student in High School.

That said, it was thankful that Haqua had moved from her original spot to one besides an empty classroom and when Minami approached, had cloaked the three of them in her raiment after making sure that there were no witnesses to see that she has disappeared.

Her relationship with Minami had gotten much better as compared to the past, when she would run away from her, but with Minami's friendship with a certain martial-artist sempai, their relationship has blossomed under her careful care.

'Ayukawa Tenri. It is nice to meet you, M-Minami-chan.'

Smiling a little nervously at the girl that was a few years her junior, Tenri bowed to her politely as well as Haqua explained to Minami about how Tenri was from another school and had asked for her help to look around the place.

Thankfully Minami didn't ask too many questions and she just nodded her head in understanding.

'I see, well, I know Ayukawa sempai would like Mai-High very much~ If you want to, I can show you around as well?'

Minami was a little disappointed when Haqua sternly reminded her that she still had to attend her lessons and she pouted a little, causing Tenri to smile a little at her antics.

Minami's pout was turned to something akin to confusion as Tenri asked her if she knew someone named Keima.

'Katsuragi Keima-sempai desu ka? Yes, I do know him. Does Ayukawa-sempai knows Katsuragi-sempai too?'

Looking a little cautious but yet curious, Minami settled down a little as Tenri told her that a long time ago and only recently, she was neighbors with him and Minami smiled in understanding.

'Ah, Souka~ Ayukawa-sempai was friends with Katsuragi-sempai a long time ago? That makes me feel a little envious, eheh~'

Haqua noted that Minami accepted the truth just as readily as how Tenri told the truth to her, and Tenri was more comfortable and more natural while speaking the truth. She smiled a little hearing their conversations together.

'I'm sure Haqua-san would be able to bring Ayukawa-sempai to meet Katsuragi-sempai later on.~'

'Oh... I-I'm still living beside Keima-san... we're neighbors, Minami-chan... perhaps... when you come over to his house to play... I'll... do a performance for you as well.'

Seeing that the two of them were hitting off, Haqua waited for the question that had not been asked so far and after chatting about how their schools were different, Tenri bit the bullet and asked her the question that she had been dying to ask.

'Does... Minami-chan like Keima-san?'

If her reddening face didn't give Tenri the answer that she wanted, Minami nodded as well, and Tenri smiled a little as she said that she did too.

'I-I told him that, just a few weeks back...'

'Souka.. Ayukawa-san does like Katsuragi-sempai after all. I had the feeling that you would.'

Minami looked and felt a little complicated but still a little happy and as she clung her towel over her shoulders, Minami smiled at Tenri looking apprehensively back at her.

'A-Aren't you mad at me?'

'Why would I be mad at you, sempai? I don't see why I should do that~'

'I... I said that I liked Keima-san... wouldn't you feel upset that ...I confessed to him?'

Mumbling a little, Tenri blinked when Minami shook her head and said that it was silly to think that way.

'… I'm... a little upset that there is more competition for Katsuragi-sempai. Anyone would be... but it's normal now. I would have gotten a little upset before, but I won't now. Katsuragi-sempai is very popular and... he doesn't belong to just me. Ayukawa-sempai, you shouldn't be embarrassed to say that out loud to Katsuragi-sempai as if you are, sempai would surely lose out.'

Smiling and blushing while saying words that must have taken lots of courage, not to mention lots of maturity and acceptance to say, Minami offered a hand to Tenri, who took it in surprise as she added on with a mischievous smile.

'No hard feelings, okay, sempai?'

'Mm mm...'

* * *

..

'So do you like Minami?'

Looking a little pleased at herself, Haqua led Tenri off to another class after they bid goodbye to Minami.

'Mm... Minami-chan is a nice girl.'

Nodding in agreement with her, Haqua asked what was her impression of the girls so far and Tenri replied by saying that she was relieved, to Haqua's surprise as Tenri explained.

'… At least, I can be relieved that Keima-san would be happy with those girls... like Minami-chan or Kanon-chan.'

Blushing as she said so, Tenri winced as Diana made her presence known by revealing herself in front of a passing mirror, causing Haqua to smile a little at how Diana's relationship with Tenri was so functional as well as dysfunctional.

'Tenri, how many times must I tell you not to be so self-defeating? And stop apologizing so repeatedly, Tenri!'

Behaving like an elder-younger sister duo, the two of them bickered a little amongst each other till they realized that Haqua was laughing at their antics, causing the two of them to blush in embarrassment.

'We should be going before the break for High School ends as well. C'mon, Tenri, Diana.'

Reaching out to her, Haqua nodded as Tenri held her hands and she brought her to her last stop, to a certain senior's classroom even as Haqua waved at the last remaining member of Keima's little harem.

They had ran into Shiori earlier but they were unable to approach due to Konoe Rea being with her, a pity as Haqua felt that Tenri would like Shiori and they would have lots in common.

..

'Kusonoki!'

Kasuga Kusonoki, currently in her third year in Mai-High and one of Keima's captures who had her memories returned to her. Unlike the rest of the girls, Kusonoki was on very good terms with Haqua and was just passing acquaintances with Elsi.

It was an oddity but when one knew about their past and their personalities, where Kusonoki had been one of the few that had been vehemently against forgiving Keima, resulting in the two of them exchanging blows, one can understand how and why the two of them bonded with each other due to mutual respect for each other's skills and strengths.

A silly way to bond between girls but Kusonoki and Haqua weren't normal girls either.

Just like how Minami had gotten close to Kusonoki by tickling and perhaps helping to 'liberate' Kusonoki's feminine side, Haqua's presence and bond with her helped fuel her competitive drive as a female warrior.

It was a complicated relationship but Haqua saw it as a friendly rivalry between the two of them as they sill do some practice bouts at time when Kusonoki felt that she needed some challenge.

'Ah.'

Nodding discreetly but greeting her nonetheless, Kusonoki left her classroom to greet Haqua. It wasn't often that Haqua would approach her directly like this and this made Kusonoki feel a little more curious at her appearance. Her curiosity was heightened when she saw someone with Haqua that she didn't recognize.

'Haqua, good afternoon.'

Greeting her formally, Kusonoki returned the bow that Haqua gave her as she too smiled at her friend.

'Good afternoon, Kusonoki! This here is...'

Pushing Tenri forward, the shy girl took a deep breath before introducing herself.

'Ayukawa Tenri, douzo, yoroshiku onegaishimasu.'

Bowing to her formally and deeply, Tenri felt the blood rush to her head when confronted with such a beautiful, upright and confident woman that she couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed at what she wanted to ask her.

After spying on some of the girls, Tenri was encouraged by Haqua to introduce herself formally to the few remaining girls that she had not met and after considering it for a while, she agreed to the suggestion in the end.

''Ah, Kasuga, Kasuga Kusonoki. It is a pleasure as well.'

Bowing to her as well, Kusonoki was a little conscious of what she was doing and was reassured when Haqua told her that everyone else could see her and Tenri.

'It is rare for you to visit us in school, Haqua, has anything happened?'

It was business as always for Kusonoki and after Haqua reassured her that nothing was wrong, she turned to Tenri with an apologetic expression.

'I apologize, Ayukawa-san...?'

Realizing her mistake in saying a little too much, Kusonoki turned to Haqua and after her reassurances that Tenri was indeed someone who was directly involved in their unique situation, Kusonoki relaxed again while leaning against the railing.

It was quite rare to see her relaxed like this and one could tell that she was very comfortable around Haqua for her to drop her facade of a strong woman, even for a moment during the break.

'Once again, I apologize, Ayukawa-san. If you were not involved, I would wish for you to forget what I had spoken earlier; it is only a personal and selfish of mine to help Katsuragi.'

Looking a little apologetic as she explained to her the meaning for her words, Kusonoki paused for a moment before asking Tenri what her relation to Katsuragi was.

'R-Relation...? A-Ah, you mean... mmm, I'm a childhood friend of Keima-san.'

Kusonoki's eyes widened a little at the news but she smiled as well as she nodded her head.

'Ah, I see. So you were with Katsuragi when young... Although I do not approve of him letting a girl like you be involved. I believe that he has his reasons.'

Watching Kusonoki rubbing her chin in contemplation, Tenri wondered what she was pondering about even as Haqua told her that Tenri was a first-party in the matter and not a third-party like her.

'It's complicated, Kusonoki, but she is more involved in the matter than you.'

It was a shock to the senior she recovered herself just as quickly before nodding her head.

'I have long ceased to be amazed at those details... If that is true, Katsuragi would be in your care then, Ayukawa-san. He is someone that I am indebted to, so please, do not hesitate to ask me for help if it would help him.'

Bowing to her again, Tenri was amazed at how straightforward Kusonoki's attitude to Keima and her life was and when she told her that, Kusonoki blushed while nodding herself.

'I have not been told that before, but perhaps that is the truth. When it comes to him, I will not hesitate to lay my life for him. He has shown me many things and beyond the debt that I owe him. I admire him as a person.'

Perhaps finding it embarrassing in saying all of that to a girl that was younger her age, Kusonoki took the opportunity to ask Tenri what she felt about him as well.

'… Keima-san is someone... who I like.'

The truth and Haqua knew that Tenri didn't shine as much as she did just then, facing Kasuga Kusonoki with a shy smile on her face.

'A good answer. One that I still can't say myself. You are a remarkable person, Ayukawa-san.'

Nodding in appreciation to Tenri's brave words, Kusonoki smiled at Tenri, praising her for her bravery as well as for being so frank with her.

'It is a pity that you are not in Mai-High, Ayukawa-san. I would have asked you to join the female karate club.'

Tenri and Kusonoki spoke for a while till the bell rang, where which Haqua decided that they overstayed their welcome today in school.

'Let's go before Katsuragi finds out.'

Pulling her arm urgently, Tenri nodded and held on to Haqua's hands as the two of them took off by jumping from the third floor and flying away even as Kusonoki looked on at their disappearing forms.

'She's... a strong competitor.'

* * *

..

'Thank you for today, Haqua-san.'

Bowing to her politely, Tenri thanked her again as she said that it was nothing and that she enjoyed herself as well.

'Tenri-san, Diana-san... you didn't find your sisters today, did you?'

Watching as Diana took over again, Haqua encouraged her to try again even as she shook her head sadly.

'I will try, but I will consult Katsuragi-san with this matter in a later date. Right now, I will discuss the matter with Tenri... regarding all of the girls that like Katsuragi-san.'

'That is awfully mature of you, Diana-san.'

'… Are you insinuating something, Haqua-san? Well...I do admit that I might be a little rash at times. Even so, I do thank you for your help today, Haqua-san... Thank you very much for assisting in my quest today. It might be difficult at times, but I am sure that Tenri realizes how difficult it is to capture a man's heart, especially when so many girls are after him.'

She frowned a little as Haqua laughed and asked whether Diana was really going to let it drop like that.

'… I do not... but even so... like I told Keima-san... as a goddess, I cannot deny their feelings of love for him. That is that.'

Nodding to herself, Diana and Tenri decided to put off their visit to the **Capturing God** till it was more appropriate for them to do so.

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: R&R, please.**


	22. A Stubborn Encounter

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 22: A Stubborn Encounter**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, AKAAkira, without your assistance, this chapter wouldn't be able to see the light of day.**

* * *

..

'Kami-Onii-sama, douzo~'

Serving him tea during lunch, Elsi smiled at Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** as he settled down for a well deserved rest.

It hadn't been that long but he has been involved In one of the most messy captures ever, Guido Yui.

It was a much more troublesome capture than he had ever imagined, what with the body switch and all.

The last he heard of her was that she had joined the 2B Pencils as their drummer, well, he shouldn't be too concerned about that

What he _was _concerned about was how Chihiro and Ayumi had covered for him during the period of unrest.

'… I can't believe that-...'

Wait, he could believe that as it had happened. It was a sort of accomplishment for him to have done a capture as a 'Heroine', which by the way cemented his position as the **Capturing God** even more considering the conditions that were imposed on him during the capture.

Or was it just because Yui was a good player character? Well, it doesn't matter now that the whole ordeal was over. Ayumi and Chihiro's assistance hadn't helped at all in the end and it had created another emergency that had happened.

Despite them knowing that Yui and he had changed bodies, they were accommodating of Yui, even more so than usual and thus created the situation where she was satisfied with the chance. They probably sympathized with her situation and even after they had returned to their original bodies, Ayumi and Chihiro's treatment of him hadn't changed that much despite him crafting a script that was supposed to make them mad.

The result of that was that it had only served to fuel rumours that the two girls really did like him, something that he could not deny even with his earlier stance and determination to remain as a clueless protagonist.

Thus the love triangle, no, scratch that, the Katsuragi harem was born with the addition of Ayumi and Chihiro together with the existing Fuse Aoba and Yoshino Asami.

The latter two had been in the contention for quite a well, the latter being the longest forerunner and the former being a latest entry after she was spotted hanging out with him after school and the addition of the other two makes it a definite crowd.

The title of _Otamegane_ has been more or less scrapped as well due to those persistent rumours and instead he was renamed and called a playboy or a player, much to his chagrin as it was mostly accurate.

Mostly; he doesn't toy with the girl's heart.

'Believe what exactly, Kami-Onii-sama? Is the tea too hot for you?'

'No, that's not it, Elsi... ugh, forget it. I shouldn't be discussing this with you. Either way, your cooking has definitely improved, Elsi.'

Looking and chewing at the ordinary sandwiches that Elsi had prepared for lunch today, Elsi had taken the liberty to cut them into smaller, bite sized chunks as finger food. Keima commented that the food was at least ordinary and edible, causing Elsi to blush as she admitted that she had been learning from Mari and a new cookbook.

'Hmmph... well, you did a good job today.'

Petting her on the head, Keima closed one eye as Elsi smiled and nodded her head, telling Keima that she would do her best the next time too. Yoshino Asami, the girl that has been constantly shadowing him during lunch was away as she had to attend another meeting with her club.

Recently she had volunteered to head the committee that would be training and teaching the new students on how to perform a proper tea ceremony, a great step forward for her as Asami would have to speak and interact with the first years, a great challenge for her.

Keima had wished her well in her new task and she in turn, asked for his presence during one of their tea ceremonies that were open to the public, which he accepted.

That explained the lack of the girls around Keima today, which Keima enjoyed very much. The duo, partners in the weiss capturing squad, enjoyed a quiet afternoon together after a tough few weeks or so of work tracking down and capturing the Weiss.

..

Keima was relieved that Elsi wasn't feeling too down after that failure to capture Yui's Weiss and had to rely on someone, possibly another member of the Weiss Capturing Squad to assist in containing the escaped Weiss. Even Haqua was hard pressed to anything and in the end they had came upon the captured Weiss after losing track of it.

Either way, Keima was relieved to have a few days of peace, even if he had the nagging feeling that his peace would be disturbed later on as he had been handed an invitation to watch Ikoma Minami taking part in a competition with the neighbouring school.

'So are you looking forward to Minami-chan's race in the afternoon, Kami-Onii-sama? I hope Minami-chan can win!'

Smiling as she nibbled on her sandwich happily, Elsi's ears dropped a little in disappointment, almost like a cat as Keima coldly said that wasn't possible.

'Minami wasn't selected for the school team, so the likelihood that she'll win is slim at best. However, I do not expect you to stop cheering for her.'

Nodding as Keima made a small concession and a break of tradition from Minami's part, Elsi told him that she'll cheer for him as well, causing Keima to nod in satisfaction.

'Excellent, that is exactly what I need from you, Elsi. Good job. Let us cheer Minami on in this way. It is still an accomplishment for her to be selected to take part along with the main team, it seems that her hard work has been paying off after all.'

'Eh~~ Is Kami-Onii-sama paying extra attention to Minami-chan after all, ehehe~'

'… do not be ridiculous. Why should I do that?'

'Eheh~ There's no need to be shy, Kami-Onii-sama! Everyone already knows that!'

'… You bug demon!'

* * *

..

'Congratulations, Minami.'

Greeting her as she disengaged from her swimming team mates, Keima looked up from his PFP to look at the junior classman who had just come in 5th during the swimming heats, a very accomplished result considering that she was the only reserve swimmer in the field and had done especially well.

'Arigato, Katsuragi-sempai! Eheh~'

Smiling even as she furiously tried to rub her hair dry with her towels, Minami beamed even more as Keima told her that she had surpassed even his expectations.

'It was quite a sight to see you swimming with that speed. I'm sure that with more practise, your timings will decrease.'

Minami nodded at his praise and blushed even as she told him that it was another personal best for her.

'I saw Katsuragi-sempai there with your PFP and all! Thank you, Elsi-sempai for making those banners for me too!'

Although Minami was a little disappointed that Keima didn't cheer for her like how Elsi did, shouting her name repeatedly even though Minami wasn't first. It was worth it as Minami was certain that Keima had kept a close eye on her progress till the end.

'Mm~~ Congratulations, Minami-chan! I know you did your best today! But you'll be taking part in the relay race later on desho? Good luck!'

'Mm! I'll need to go back soon to prepare... etou...'

Looking around nervously as if looking for someone, Minami beamed again when Keima informed her that Kusonoki was probably around but didn't wish to show herself just yet as he had saw her entering the swimming complex earlier on.

'Do not worry, I am sure that she will be watching you.'

Keima nodded knowingly when Elsi offered to find Kusonoki for her if she wanted to.

'No, no, it's okay. I'm sure that sempai has her reasons... she's worried that my classmates would want to approach her again.'

Kasuga Kusonoki, the head of the Kasuga Dojo and the sole member of the female karate club in Mai High. She had quite a reputation and was both feared as well as revered by the students, especially those in the junior hight. It was said that her fans rivalled even the fans of Guido Yui and there were many girls who wanted to be introduced to her.

It had been somewhat of a concern for Kusonoki; her close friendship with Minami had caused her some difficulty as there were many girls who approached her wanting to be introduced to Kusonoki.

With her interference after Minami's refusal to do so, a situation emerged where she became quite an infamous person in junior high thanks to those girls, still jealous of her friendship with Kusonoki.

But since Minami didn't mind that development that much, she was very close to her seniors in the Highschool swimming team, not to mention all the captured girls, and Kusonoki hadn't really pursued the situation much besides informing Keima and some of the girls of this development. This was also partly due to Minami's own insistence in the matter, she didn't want to spoil Kusonoki's own reputation at all and in return, Kusonoki had tried her best to limit Minami's embarrassment by popping by her class like before, choosing to meet somewhere else instead.

It was small, minor changes but important ones as it made things a little better for her.

..

That was partly why Keima and Elsi were easily distinguishable in the crowd, not counting the banners of course but there weren't a lot of junior high students wanting to associate themselves with Minami for fear of being dragged into the charged political scenario within the swimming team.

It was a shame really, but like mentioned earlier, Minami didn't seem to care about that or perhaps she was sick of the environment and just pretended to not mind and simply continued training as always, catching the eye of the swimming coach and being offered this chance to prove herself.

Now that she had and had bested some of the members who had started the fiasco in the first place, Minami and Keima both acknowledged that the situation might or might not get more charged up after this.

Making matters worse was how she had to team up with some of them during the relay race later...

..

Was that why Keima came down here to give her support? Elsi wondered that too but she would never get that answer out from Keima as Minami took her leave to prepare for the next race.

'It'll be tough going for her, seeing her earlier result.'

Keima remarked sternly and Elsi nodded unhappily as she could understand that. She had been subjected to much bullying during her school days due to her lack of abilities and talent and she felt for Minami and what she was going through.

'That's why Kami-Onii-sama should cheer for her too, desho? Like this~'

Pumping her hands in the air, Keima rebutted her by reminding her that she had decided to cheer for the both of them, causing Elsi to pout unhappily.

'That's unfair, Kami-Onii-sama!'

'The **Real **is unfair in general, Elsi!'

* * *

..

'Katsuragi.'

Looking awkward as she climbed up the stands to greet him, Kasuga Kusonoki managed a small bow as Keima looked up from his PFP and nodded in return curtly.

'So you did come, the relay is starting soon. Minami and her team is in team 4, Kusonoki.'

Being as direct and frank as always, Keima watched as Kusonoki stared out at the swimming complex, probably looking for the underclassman even as Elsi made room for Kusonoki to sit with them.

'Was it difficult to find us, Kasuga-san?'

Being very polite around her, Elsi was curious when Kusonoki shook her head and said that it was quite obvious that it was the two of them in the stands.

'Only the two of you would support Minami like this. It is a pity and all my fault... I've brought her so much trouble.'

Shaking her head a little sadly, Kusonoki knew that she was spared most of the repercussions of her actions because it was her that they were dealing with. Like all cowards, they targeted the seemingly weaker target, Minami and being a senior in the High School Department and away from the Junior high, Kusonoki found herself helpless to help her favorite junior and a good friend.

'… I hope she does well.'

Smiling sadly as she sat down beside Keima, Kusonoki's smile got a little brighter and lighter when Keima said that she would if she saw Kusonoki cheering for her.

'She'll be fine, Kusonoki... she choose this fate by her own free will. There was no way to judge whether it is the right way as there are many paths one can choose to take which may result in another outcome further down in the road. That is the way of the **Real.** Disorganized and disappointing but still surprising in its many ways. It is not perfect but within those flaws we can search for the infinite possibilities.'

Saying something deep, Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** watched as Kusonoki smiled and nodded her head, gaining some confidence from his words.

'That is true... I have not imagined that I would be so close to her as well. She is a spirited child with energy and faith in the future...'

'That is why, you should be yourself when facing her later on, Kusonoki. You are a strong-willed woman who should not break character like this, especially when Minami is looking for you as guidance and strength.'

Kusonoki could tell that Keima was trying to cheer her up in his own unique way and she smiled while nodding her head.

'That is true... she is a brave girl, I am sure that she'll do well when she enters High School. I'm just saddened that I would not be around to welcome her to High School.'

'You could, it all depends on whether you _want _to do that.'

'… That is true... Katsuragi... you have stopped calling me Toushu for quite a while now... Why is that?'

Keima was spared from answering when the race started and the three of them watched intently at lane 4, as the swimmers took off!

* * *

..

'Congratulations, you did your best, Minami.'

Praising her as Minami ran over to all of them, Kusonoki rubbed her hands over Minami's wet hair even as the younger girl told her not to do so with a silly smile on her face.

Minami's team had ended up being third in the relay race amongst a field of 6 and it was a good result considering that she was one of the better swimmers who had managed to help her team get a little ahead during her turn swimming the relay.

'Thank you, Kusonoki-sempai! Were you watching me? I was so nervous that I almost forgot to breath for a stroke, it was so embarrassing if I were to need rescuing after that.'

Laughing and joking amongst the two of them, Minami saw Keima walking over and she beamed as Keima congratulated her as well.

'That was a job well done, Minami. I'm sure that your performance has impressed the coach?'

He had noticed how the swimming coach had been with the group and from the gestures and the big smile on his face, they had done very well considering the field that they were competing in.

'Thank you, Katsuragi sempai! He said that he's impressed with my good performance! I might be included in the main team as the first reserve member for real! I'll have to work harder though but it'll be all worth it!'

Looking as happy as can be, Minami gave Elsi a big hug in return as Elsi congratulated her as well for doing so well in her first maiden swimming meet even as Kusonoki and Keima looked on.

'She has done well.'

'It is like you said, her hard work has paid off.'

Smiling at her junior and continuing to rub her hair affectionately, the four of them spent some time together before Minami excused herself for a debrief by the swimming coach.

'I'll catch you later, Katsuragi-sempai, Kusonoki-sempai! Please wait for me!'

Smiling and waving to them as she went back to her swimming club members, Keima and Kusonoki watched on before they turned to glare at Elsi, who commented that the two of them were like a pair of newly-weds that were looking at their child.

'It's true, Kami-Onii-sama~~ Kasuga-san~~ S-Stop pulling my ears, Kami-Onii-sama! I won't say that ever again!'

Watching on as Keima punished Elsi, Kusonoki frowned when she saw a girl staring at their direction before quickly looking away when she noticed that she was spotted.

'… Isn't that girl...?'

* * *

..

As the three of them waited for Minami in the front door of the swimming complex, Kusonoki discussing with Elsi about the possibilities of persuading Haqua to buy her own cellphone and Keima playing on his PFP, the three of them saw a crowd of girls leaving the grounds and they waited in anticipation for Minami to approach them when a junior broke off and headed towards their direction.

'Minami? … No, you are...?'

Looking confused as she greeted her, Kusonoki's eyes hardened a little as this was one of the girls who had asked Minami for a free pass to be introduced to her but she was still polite to her as she bowed to her in greeting as well.

'Good evening, Kasuga-sempai, Katsuragi-sempai.'

Looking at her curiously, Keima nodded in response to her introduction as she addressed the two of them.

'Kureha, Kureha Haruka desu. I am Ikoma's fellow swimming team mate, sempais.'

Nodding to the two of them, the girl named Haruka suddenly pointed a finger at them and declared that she would 'defeat' Ikoma Minami.

'I will make Kasuga-sempai acknowledge me... and most importantly, I will make Katsuragi-sempai prefer me over the two of you... Please do remember this.'

With the most anti-climatic exit ever, the girl ran off while Keima and Kusonoki just stared at each other momentarily before Keima simply snorted and shook his head.

'That was a pathetic declaration of war. Do not mind h-'

Keima was about to say but he was once again interrupted with the tell-tale 'Dorodorodoro' sound from Elsi's Weiss Radar as she released her hold on it, causing him to swallow his words as Kusonoki looked at the two of them in confusion.

'Sempai, I'm back! What did I miss?'

Making her entrance at long last, Ikoma Minami looked at the stern face on Keima and the exasperated look on Kusonoki as the two of them stared at her unhappily.

'W-What is it, sempai? W-What did I do this time?!'

* * *

**Author's Notes: Time skip + a new arc!**


	23. Complications

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 23: Complications**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Many Many thanks to ****_AKAAkira_****, without him, this arc would never see the light of day.**

* * *

**..**

'Kureha Haruka? Why would Katsuragi-sempai want to know about her?'

From the get go Keima had hit a roadblock as from the tone of Ikoma Minami's voice, she didn't want to talk about that person at all. Minami even looked a little cross and unhappy that Keima would mention her name.

Before she spoke again though, she looked meaningfully at Kusonoki, who started a little but nodded nonetheless at her words.

'You can ask Kusonoki-sempai about her too... after all, she wanted to know Kusonoki-sempai very eagerly!'

It was the first time that Keima had seen Minami so unwilling, uncooperative and if one couldn't guess that she was upset earlier, it was quite obvious too as her sarcasm hurt Kusonoki too as the three of them sat in the small cafe.

Yes, three as Elsi had hurried off to try and tag the girl before she returned home, an instruction that Keima gave hurriedly before he rushed the two of them into the cafe.

Realizing that it was a very delicate situation that he had to handle, Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** looked at Minami evenly as his mind calculated the odds. Whatever happened between Kureha Haruka and Minami wasn't something good but since that he had a contact point, he had hoped that she would be willing to help. Unfortunately that didn't seem to be the case and Keima considered his other options even as Kusonoki tried her best to calm Minami down.

'Minami... please listen to us...'

Even though Kusonoki wasn't in the know of either the Weiss or New Hell, she knew what Keima was going behind their backs was potentially dangerous and he did not like to involve the other girls due to that.

Being a warrior at heart, Kusonoki had sworn to herself that if there was anything that she could do to help Keima, she would do so. This was a frustrating roadblock but she kept calm as she knew that the strained relationship between the two of them was her fault...

'If Minami isn't going to tell Katsuragi, I'll tell him what happened. Is that fine with you, Minami?'

Looking at her evenly even as Keima exchanged a few words with Elsi, Kusonoki smiled wearily as Minami just shrugged and told her that she could do whatever she saw fit. It was not the first time that Minami had thrown such a fit at her and Kusonoki forgave her for that as she knew that this issue was something very close to her heart and she truly didn't wish for Keima to get involved at all.

'But I'm not telling... sempai, even if it's you... I don't want you to get involved with Kureha at all.'

It seemed that she was adamant about that point and Kusonoki sighed before turning to Keima, who looked at her questioningly and she nodded before telling her story.

'As all of you know, I am very close to Minami...'

..

It turned out that the girl, Kureha Haruka was the leader of the girls who had asked Minami for help in approaching Kusonoki. As Keima knew, Minami had rejected her but he didn't know that Kusonoki had been the one who had told her to do so.

'… It is my fault that this happened in the first place, Katsuragi. I didn't want to cause trouble to Minami due to my reputation and so I asked her to reject them if this scenario ever developed. There... had been others... who tried to befriend me through the same reasons, asking my classmates to introduce themselves to me... and so...'

'The girls mistook Minami's words, grew a resentment for Minami as she appeared to be stuck up and was hogging Kusonoki sempai for herself!? That resulted in what we had been speaking before, right? Honestly... they are still in Junior High... the **real** is really ridiculous in its make up... what will happen when they reach High School? Is it their wish to take over the school? Such a plot line is impossible for minor characters like this.'

Looking very upset even as he sighed in understanding, Keima ignored the look of confusion from both of them even as he contemplated the situation. For her to have influenced more or less the entire swimming club against Minami meant that this girl, Kureha Haruka, had great influence within the group.

But if that was so, why must she declare the challenge to him directly and not use the same methods to crush Minami's spirit? Granted, Minami had been strong and hadn't buckled under the stress at all; was her patience finally running out?

That said, if Kureha Haruka had the courage to face and speak to Kusonoki earlier, why hadn't she done so in the first place? He was missing a piece of the puzzle here and although the most likely and obvious scenario in front of him seemed to be right, he couldn't just declare that without evidence.

He... could see the ending so easily... there must be a trap here somewhere.

The situation between Minami and her club mates was complicated. He should know as he was currently in a very complicated situation and was currently balancing his relationships with the girls that he had captured. Thankfully it was a positive and agreeable relationship between all of them and not a negative one that Minami was involved in.

That explains Minami's actions and her being unwilling to talk about Kureha Haruka. Well in his shoes he would have his own reservations as well, especially when it was someone that she liked(Keima) that was asking for information regarding her 'enemy'.

'I understand the situation now, generally at least. Now, Minami...'

Turning to the younger girl, who resolutely tried not to look at him and had spent the time plugging into her earphones, meaning she was deaf to the world. Keima took the initiative and reached out to stroke her hair, causing her to blush shyly in response to his actions.

'T-That's not fair at all, sempai...'

Looking away unhappily, Minami lowered her head as Keima asked her whether that was true, whether Kureha Haruka was the person who had made things difficult for Minami in the swimming club.

'I understand that the situation between you and your fellow club members have been very strained. Well, I personally feel that the development was unwarranted and childish... I accept that the **real** in particular is inconsistent and unfair to people in general... but.'

Scratching his head as Minami nodded as well, Keima continued while saying that was the way the **real **worked.

'It is undeniable that the **real** is flawed and when compared to the **world** and the **idea**. The **real **is filled with ridiculous plot twists and developments that doesn't suit the theme at all. However, that doesn't mean that you should totally ignore or block it from your sight, Minami. You have to be courageous and face the problem head on even if there was no way out of that predicament. Just like me, I decided against resisting the **real** a long time ago as the **real** never seemed to go my way. However, I managed to make the**real** allow me to do what I want by following along the path that the **real** gave me as well. Well, I know that you don't understand what I mean...'

Scratching his head even as Minami laughed and said that she really didn't, Keima tried to summarize it for her.

'There is no use running away from problems in the end, you'll have to face it eventually and the sooner the better. If you don't...'

Keima sighed as he told Minami that it was technically possible to keep running away but only if she was prepared.

'For you'll always live on remembering that you could have changed that a long time ago. So Minami, please, tell me... more about her.'

Smiling wryly at Minami, who muttered that he was being unfair again, Keima allowed the girl to think through her own dilemma by herself even as he sat back and wondered how he should approach this Kureha Haruka.

..

Besides seeing the ending and the possible cause of the problem, Katsuragi Keima wasn't sure of how applicable his thesis and analysis fitted with Kureha Haruka as it was a very unusual situation.

The girl, the heroine, had been the one to approach him rather than in other occasions where he had to approach the girl. One of the most obvious examples were of Konoe Rea, Shiori's friend had been an individual whose life he had to force his way into , much like almost all of the other girls he had captured so far.

So it was an oddity for her to chase after him. Well, Yoshino Asami and Ayukawa Tenri had been individuals like that but he digressed, the two of them hadn't actively pursued him at all.

Since she had made the first move, his initiative was gone. So what should be the next move? It all depended on Minami's answer for he did not wish to hurt the young girl's feelings with his actions inadvertently.

Her emotions and thoughts were relatively easy to read and Keima could determine that Minami was worried about her own chances with Keima if he got associated with Kureha Haruka, not to mention that it would mean that she would have to get along with her, something she really disliked.

One could say that he was really getting soft when it came to Ikoma Minami but he preferred to say that he was throwing caution to the wind. With no save files, quick save slots or anything to help him, he'll have to take every precaution to avoid an execution from Kusonoki if he made her cry.

The main reason for Keima doing that was also to ensure that the girls would not be the host of a new Weiss once again due to his actions causing the gap in their heart to grow again.

Although there had not been any precedents where a host was possessed by another Weiss once more, Keima wasn't taking any changes. If it has been proven before that a girl could be a host, logic tells him that naturally meant that it was possible for them to be a host _again_, something he did not wish to see at all.

'Kami-Onii-sama!'

Breaking him from his thoughts and returning to his side, Elsi whispered to Keima that she had tagged the girl successfully after all and she highlighted to him that it was getting late and they should be heading back home today.

'It isn't nice for us to keep Minami-chan and Kasuga-san out too late too.

Keima nodded in agreement to Elsi's advice and told the two girls that it's best for them to sleep on the problem today, causing Kusonoki to remind him that he hasn't told them yet what was going on for him to be so interested in that girl.

'The same thing that has happened to you before is happening to her now. I'm sure that you remember the feelings of unease and stress weighting you down when I first met the both of you. If that situation is not resolved...'

Leaving the sentence unfinished at what the end result would be, Keima looked at Kusonoki meaningfully as she had the most 'unique' experience of them all. That was, Kusonoki had actually sparred with the Weiss that was residing in her own heart, who had taken the form of her other consciousness or psyche. Well, it had probably hijacked her sub-consciousness to create that image of herself but Keima couldn't be sure on that.

So a revision would be that Kusonoki had actually sparred with one of her own hidden subconsciousness that the Weiss residing in her had brought to life. That was one of the most bizarre captures so far and definitely one of the few times that the Weiss actually acted against the will of the host. Or was it one of the few times that it was actually working towards it's goal of increasing the gap in the host's heart?

Keima wasn't entirely sure but he did not want to face another scenario like Kusonoki or god forbid, Rea's, whose Weiss had actually greatly influenced their individual lives. Twice was enough, three times if you count Kanon and it was best that the Weiss did not gather as much power as it did with the above mentioned girls.

'Well, I will hope to meet the two of you tomorrow, perhaps during lunch?'

Getting up, Keima offered to walk the girls back to their homes but was rejected by Kusonoki, who said that she'll walk Minami back herself.

'The streets are dangerous, so you should walk Elsi-san back home as well, Katsuragi.'

Nodding to the two of them, Kusonoki excused herself and Minami but not before Keima pulled her to the side to have a few words with her in private, causing Minami and Elsi to look at them in confusion for a while before the latter girl started daydreaming again, probably pondering deeply about his request.

..

'Kusonoki, you should leave Minami alone for a while. Don't try to persuade her or advise her on what to do.'

'W-What?! Ho-How could I not after what Katsuragi said to her...'

'That is precisely why you should let her decide by herself. With or without her assistance, I will aid Kureha Haruka through her problems. That said, I would prefer if she helped so that I could at least take appropriate counter-measures and brief her and you accordingly to what I would do...'

'You are going to make Kureha fall in love with you, aren't you, Katsuragi? That is... how you are going to solve her problem?!'

Looking not just a little bit miffed but was actually on the verge of blowing up as the blood rushed to her face, Kusonoki glared at Keima, not believing how insensitive he was being, Minami and all of the girls liked him! So how could he, or should she say, why must he tell them this when this was the worse news of all!?

'Yes, that is how I helped you in the first place, didn't I? I said so before... if I had an alternative method, I would have tried it out before, Kusonoki. Yes, it is unfair but of all the people in the world who are qualified to judge me, I would have thought that... all of you that I have helped, should have understood why I do this by now... I might not say that... that it is true love that brought me to all of you. But it is true that I will do anything to help you.'

Watching as Keima looked a little downcast and more distressingly, disappointed in her, Kusonoki tried her best to continue being mad at him, to no avail as she realized that it was the truth.

Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** had not once mentioned that he liked anyone of them. If he did, the matter and stalemate between all of them would not have carried on for so long.

It was true that despite what might have happened between all of them and of course, between them and him, he had never retreated or shied away from the girls despite what they might feel or thought of him.

He.. .dare she say it, he probably had no regrets at all about what he did. Perhaps it was shameless, perhaps it wasn't really fair to all of them... but was it fair to him as well? Perhaps the reasons he gave for helping them _could_be better but ultimately, he had indeed helped all of them.

There was the saying: 'The End, Justified the Means.' and even if Kusonoki could not truly justify what Keima did and said before about helping the girls, she could not deny the results.

Perhaps having them fall in love with him was just a step in the process, something that happened naturally along the way as he helped them.

Kusonoki doesn't know the truth and from the looks of things, she would not know it from him ow.

'I... don't think...'

She was about to say that it wasn't a good idea to do that, considering Minami's feelings when she swallowed her words. This was just going around in circles, a circular logic as she had just said that and she knew that Keima would have considered it before, so she gave up and just nodded her head in defeat, clenching her fist unhappily at the outcome.

'I won't make her cry... more than I have to, Kusonoki.'

Keima seemed to read her mind and she smiled a little sadly even as he added.

'You as well, Kusonoki... have a good rest.'

'… Mm... Thank you, Katsuragi.'

..  
..

As the two girls left, Keima listened on as Elsi reported back to Keima with a surprising news.

'Kami-Onii-sama... I think Kureha-san saw you and Minami-chan going back together too...'

'… Mm... That means that my role is set...well, contact Haqua as well.. we might need backup for this one.'

This was going to be a tricky capture as it looks like he'll be playing the defensive for a while till he could confirm and verify the ending.

That said, even if he had the ending in his sight... the means and her story route hasn't been established yet.

'Will it be generic? Or will the Weiss itself create a plot-twist... we shall see, Kureha Haruka... I await your challenge... it looks like it's time for the sempai factor to make its presence known again'

* * *

**Author's Notes: Do my Poll people, and R&R please!**


	24. One's Emotions

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 24: One's Emotions**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, ****_AKAAkira_****, without you, this arc would never see the light of day. Or, be as awesome as it is (to me at least)**

* * *

**..**

Walking back home with Elsi, as Keima spoke with her for a while regarding her thoughts about this situation, Keima remembered that a long time back, Elsi had complained and seemed very upset about bullies in general.

This was way back during the first capture together with Elsi; to be exact it was when Ayumi was being bullied around by her seniors in the track and field team and Elsi had lamented that there were bullies like that in the human world too.

'I... don't get it... why can't people just get along. There's really no reason for people to try and hurt others right? Why do people insist on doing that when nothing good comes of it?'

Looking confused at the motives and the harsh realities of life, Elsi was even more confused when Keima reached out to pet her head consolingly.

'That's fine, Elsi just needs to continue being as optimistic and ditzy as always.'

'Ehh! Kami-Onii-sama, I don't want that!'

Looking upset at his remarks, Elsi followed Keima even as he commented that since Kureha Haruka had seen him interacting with Minami, the game plan has changed considerably.

'It is likely that she would have come to the conclusion that Minami had filled me in on her current relation with her.'

'Her relation with Minami-chan? Aren't they friends if they are in the same club?'

Once again, Keima rubbed his hand against Elsi's head and although the young devil liked how that felt, she had the nagging feeling that he was pitying her more than anything else.

Keima had been quite forthcoming with his praise and his 'rewards' of physical contact nowadays and it was a surprise to all of the girls as they... weren't used to such open displays of affection from him. Well, he probably had his reasons for that but he wasn't telling.

'They aren't in a good relationship with each other, and I believe that is the trigger that caused this scene to take place in the first place. Do you remember what I told you before during Kanon's capture? There are no free lunches in the world. If the girl approaches me, chances are that there are underlying factors that we are not aware of yet. Speaking of which... Kanon approached me at first as well...'

'That is because Kami-Onii-sama made her upset! It was your fault, Kami-Onii-sama that the Weiss possessed her!'

Berating him a little even as Keima thought about the situation, Elsi sighed as Keima shrugged while saying that there was no way that he would have known that would happen in the first place.

'That aside...'

'That's not fair, Kami-Onii-sama!'

'The **Real** isn't fair in general, Elsi! Back to topic, we have to come to terms that Kureha Haruka will from now on try to determine what my impression of her was. The question now is what action she will take in order to find that out and of course, my corresponding actions to her initiative. We have to determine what the underlying factors of her sudden change in technique are, as well as why she has targeted me along with Kusonoki. The latter is what makes me so concerned, however; why me? And why Kusonoki as well? She said that she wanted to prove herself to Kusonoki as well as to make me choose her over Minami.'

'Which isn't possible, desho? Seeing how Kami-Onii-sama is always taking care of Minami-chan~'

Breaking his train of thought and teasing him at the same time, Elsi whimpered when Keima flicked a finger against her forehead to punish her for trying to be intelligent or to be funny. Keima wasn't sure which was which. He did make a mental note on Elsi's point; he might need to review that point later on as well.

'Pay attention Elsi, I can't rely on Haqua all the time, you'll have to pull your weight as a partner too.'

Frowning even as Elsi apologized to him, Keima remarked that after what had happened with Yui's Weiss, she has to buck up or risk having the same situation happening again.

'I'm responsible for chasing the Weiss out, your job from the start has never changed and that is to capture and contain the Weiss. At least that is how we arranged it as such. I'm depending on you for that, but that doesn't mean that is all that you can do. With the right training and studying, you too can be a decent player character for a bug demon...'

Instead of saying that Keima was not being fair, Elsi actually nodded her head a little in understanding and Keima continued as they walked on back home.

'It seems that there are two objectives for this Kureha Haruka. The two are to get Kusonoki's and my seal of approval. From that we can infer or rightly say that Kureha Haruka wishes to 'defeat' Minami through these two points. As I recall, Nora once said that it is possible to fill the gap in one's heart if the thing that was causing the gap in the first place was removed... we can say that the originator of the problem is Ikoma Minami and as we can't remove her...'

..

Elsi nodded to his words even as Keima continued, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose even as Elsi looked on admiringly at him. Did he get a little more focused due to her attention and him having an audience? No one would know as the **Capturing God**was showing the world why all of them called him that.

'No, that is not wrong, we can indeed remove her from the equation. But it is a drastic measure that we should not adopt unless it is absolutely necessary. No, what we should be concerned about is why Kureha Haruka is adamant about defeating Ikoma Minami. That is the question we have to answer, and until we hear Minami as well as Kureha Haruka's version of the story, it is too early to tell the ending... even so, I am the **Capturing God **after all and...'

Keima smiled confidently as he stopped in front of their home before declaring to Elsi.

'I've already seen the most possible and predictable ending.'

'Sugoi! As expected of Kami-Onii-sama!'

Elsi's expectations fell short though when Keima added that he had no idea how to solve Haruka's problems' though.

* * *

..

'It is not that I am unable to find a solution, it is that I cannot find the core of the problem so far. The ending is vague and there are too much noise, cliches and at the same time, is a setting so common that it is difficult for me to pinpoint the exact source of the problem. Even if I do have a list, having a list might only make things more difficult for us.'

Commenting while he started on dinner again, Keima got that feeling of deja vu as they discussed work over dinner, since Mari was looking at them a little curiously as Keima chewed thoughtfully.

Elsi however, seemed to have remembered what happened the last time she and Keima had engaged in work over dinner and she kept quiet as Mari looked at them curiously.

'Where did the two of you go today? You came back quite late didn't you? I thought I'll have to punish the two of you for not calling back again.'

Resting her head on her hand, Mari smiled at Elsi and Keima, causing the two of them to jump a little as they realized that although Mari wasn't furious, she wasn't happy either as they had came back home to see her sitting by herself in the dining room table.

Thankfully the food was still warm, hinting that Mari hadn't waited for _that_ long but it was hardly of any comfort to the two of them as they continued eating in silence.

'Mm, Keima... Elsi?'

The two of them jumped again and it was Elsi who replied, telling her that they were out with Kusonoki and Minami, which lead to Mari asking Elsi who the two of them were.

Keima wasn't that amused at the development as she looked at Mari with cold sweat forming at the back of his palms. Mari only knew of Asami, Tsukiyo and Aoba in his life so far and god forbid her to know that Kanon was interested in him as well. He'll never be able to live it down with that development.

That said, Mari's temper does seem to be fading, probably due to her growing curiosity about the two new girls that she knew.

'Are they Keima-kun's friends?'

'Mm~ Kasuga-san and Minami-chan are Kami-Onii-sama and my friends.'

Elsi said, nodding and replying her obediently. Keima wanted to escape right now but it seemed that was impossible as Mari's eyes turned to look at him instead, prompting Elsi to excuse herself and flee from the table to face Mari's interrogation alone.

'CURSE YOU, ELSI!'

He muttered darkly to himself even as Elsi clapped her hands together in prayer a distance away, praying for his well-being even as Mari loomed over him.

'So, Keima-kun... tell me more about Kasuga-san and this Minami-chan, won't you?'

* * *

..

After finally getting off after half an hour of Mari's interrogation, in which he had stubbornly refused to give any juicy details about the two girls, Keima received another mail from Kanon, another one of her updates even as he laid back and relaxed in his own room.

The mail from Kanon read as follows:

..

* * *

_'Good evening Keima-kun,_

_How is everything? It has been only a few days since I've went to school to attend lessons together with everyone and I feel a little complicated that I feel so... lonely by myself now. Is it natural to feel that way? It has been a few years since I've debuted with Citron and since then I hadn't been attending school regularly, you'd think that I'd gotten used to it by now. Apparently not..._

_Well, I have to admit that I wasn't... very popular in school due to me debuting then so perhaps that's why I didn't enjoy myself in school that much? It's embarrassing to admit but I was like that before, afraid of being ignored and not being seen. So... Keima-kun, thank you for helping me through my worries then. Without your help, I think I wouldn't be able to get pas that fear of mine._

_Is it called a phobia? Is there even a phobia like that? I think it can be a phobia, but I'm not s sure..._

_Anyway, I'm very happy it was you that helped me through it as compared to anyone else._

_It was fun to be in class now, with Ayumi, Chihiro, Miyako, Asami, Elsi and of course Keima-kun together with me. I've watched many shows about how one's school life can be, together with good friends everyday, doing homework, talking about everything and anything under the sun. And it really feels like I'm only just starting my school life when I'm in the second year of high school now!_

_Is it odd? I think it is... But I don't think it's that bad too... as I wouldn't have known who my real friends are. Ayumi, Chihio, Asami and Elsi had been very supportive of me and Miyako too, even if I just knew her, I know that she... thinks of me just as a classmate and a friend, unlike some of the others in class who keep calling me Kanon-chan._

_I know that Kanon is my stage name but sometimes, I think... I want to use my real name too, Keima-kun._

_But I'll keep it a secret till then~~_

_Is it mean of me? I hope Keima-kun doesn't mind and I'm sorry for writing this long mail about really nothing in particular._

_It must be weird for Keima-kun as he has been living his school life for so long, but it... really seems like I've just entered the classroom for the first time. With friends with me, friends that I know, discussing about the latest fashion, the newest equipment that came in the stores and even eating lunch together._

_Mm mm... it's a nice feeling and I really like it!_

_Is it odd that I wish for those days to happen more often than not?_

_Till we meet again, no, I shouldn't say that._

_We __**will**__meet again soon!_

_-Love_

_Nakagawa Kanon'_

* * *

..

So it seemed that Kanon's life was changing with the influence of the other girls and Keima was glad for that, as it seemed that the dependency on him had been reduced quite a bit as the days goes by. She can rely on not just him for help, but the other girls and surprisingly too from the 2B Pencils too. The friendly rivalry between them as fellow musicians must have sparked off that friendship and Keima encouraged that.

Even if it means that she was in contact with a startling large number of 'captured' girls that was her love rivals, including Yui... but if Kanon didn't mind that, he wasn't one to comment as well.

* * *

'_Kanon,_

_Right, I've forgotten that Kanon was your stage name as well. We've been calling you that for so long that I've forgotten. I guess I wasn't paying as much attention to you as I thought. It is convenient to have your stage name the same as your real name though so I do hope it isn't just the same name with different characters. Even so, that would be silly for your producer who choose that name for you in the first place, no?_

_It is normal, or should I say, expected to feel that way as you are an idol. Someone who is always in the spotlight and as such, doesn't really live a 'normal' life._

_I say normal life when I compared it to Chihiro's life, who is for all accounts a normal girl._

_They all say that the pasture is always greener on the other side and for you, perhaps a normal life isn't that bad from where you are standing from now._

_I wouldn't want to tell you what is right or wrong as it would be wrong for me to dictate your life for you._

_You should __**live**__your life the way you like it and not ask for directions from others, especially me on what you should or not do. As long as Kanon thinks it is right and what you wish to do, I will support you in that decision._

_You have a dream, don't you, Kanon? As long as you reach your dream, I believe that whatever you do would be worth it._

_Till the next time we meet,_

_-Keima'_

* * *

..

After sending that mail back to Kanon, Keima went back to his PFP while contemplating his plans for tomorrow. Surely, Kureha Haruka would make her move on him tomorrow and he shivered a little in excitement while thinking that.

'I'm more than just the **Capturing God;** I am the **God** that had captured another _player. _I await your challenge.'

* * *

..

It wasn't long before Keima would meet that challenger for the moment that he entered the school and opened his shoe locker, he saw an envelope tucked neatly below hi shoes and he picked it up before stuffing it into his pockets before Asami could spot what he was doing.

Yes, Yoshino Asami had returned to her usual routine of accompanying him to school after each capture but after a moment's thought and after validating with Elsi that Kureha Haruka was nowhere near the vicinity, Keima took the liberty of filling Asami in that _**it**__had happened again._

'… So Keima-san would be busy with his assignments again? Does it involve any- one else?'

Asami was getting sharper and sharper as the days goes by and although Keima had managed to keep his captures of Sumire and Nanaka under wraps, Asami had caught on to Yui's capture quite early on, what with the body switch and all. Was this what one called a woman's intuition? Either way, Keima went clean and told her that Minami and Kusonoki were probably involved in this capture.

'It revolves around Minami so it is expected that she would have to assist in this assignment... I will do my best to minimize any emotional trauma, if any to her, I can promise you that.'

Keima's words didn't seem to reassure her and unless Keima was imagining it, Asami actually sighed a little sadly, perhaps a little disappointed too as she nodded her head and gave him her blessings.

'… When it comes to Minami-chan, you're surprisingly thoughtful and careful... Keima-san.'

It was this again and Keima explained that he had learnt from his mistake with Shiori before and would strive to make things easier for the girls that had to help him with his 'assignments',

'If Keima-san says so...'

Asami didn't seem to be convinced but Keima wasn't about to press his reason on her, he knew that the more he did, the more suspicious she would get and he shouldn't press his luck.

..

'Well then...'

Pulling the letter from his pocket, Keima had a look at the contents and wasn't surprised to see Asami wanting to have a look too and he allowed her to do so as he read the letter out loud.

_.._

_'Katsuragi-sempai_

_Please come to the Swimming Complex during lunch time! I have something important to tell you! Please do come!_

_-K.H'_

..

'Is she going to confess to you already?'

Asami's eyes narrowed dangerously again and her bad mood worsened when Keima said that it was indeed a possibility that he could not rule out.

'I shouldn't interfere, Keima-san... but please, do take our feelings into consideration as well. Seeing Keima-san doing that in front of everyone else... hurts us too. It may only be a dream or an illusion that doesn't last to the people involved... but to us, it is like a wound or a scar that never quite goes away.'

Being talkative for once, Asami bowed and took her leave, but not before Keima remarked that he would do that, no, he always does that, causing Asami to stay put as he continued.

'It is painful for all of you, I understand that. I cannot offer any excuses but I can offer apologies. All I wish... is for all of you to be patient with me... as a person whom I 'saved' and 'captured', I... believe you do not wish to others to go through the same things that you went through, Asami.'

'… I know that, Keima-san... but with each new person... it begins to be harder and harder to believe that... the only thing I know now is that... I like you, Keima-san... and I still do... despite what others might say during this period, I... tolerate this as I like you still.'

Whispering softly, Asami smiled weakly even as Keima reached out to stroke her hair.

'That is what all of you hold dear... and yet I am... I am a terrible person... like what Haqua once said to me.'

'You're a **devil... **and a **god.** That's what Aoba-chan told us... but most importantly, you're human... Keima-san. That's why I forgive you, because you admit to feeling bad too.'

Reaching out to stroke his chin, Asami broke away shyly before the two of them headed to class together while Keima just sighed, a little uneasy at being so casual with the intimacy. Eventually the affection points that he was earning with those favors wouldn't work. What was he going to do after the girls got acclimatized to it?

God only knows...

* * *

..

**Author's Notes: MW's would be back on it's regular schedule when I sort out the kinks with AKAAkira. On the other hand, Pokemon BW2 and Kami Nomi Localization Vol. 15 is... on my mind.**


	25. Taking Initiative

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 25: Taking Initiative**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: I really really hope that my readers like MW's as my muse is going overboard with this story.**

**Again, thank you ****_AKAAkira_**** for the beta-edits, without him, this arc wouldn't be half as awesome as it is.**

**THAT said, ironically, the two of us are the ones holding more chapters popping up soon.**

**Lastly, I'm embarrassed to admit that I ****_might_**** have a hand in him not writing so much. Oops?**

* * *

**..**

..

Upon reaching the stairs, Elsi rejoined Asami and Keima even while reporting to him that there had been a change and after whispering to Keima about said change, his eyes narrowed for a second before he nodded in affirmative.

'That was quick, and unexpected. Well, I suppose she is the impatient type. Very well then...'

Making up his mind, Keima turned to Asami, who looked very surprised as he told her that he would like her to continue acting normally.

'Acting... normally? I... I thought Keima-san was on an assignment.'

It was customary or perhaps, normal for Keima to be alone during the 'capturing' process. Even if the rumours regarding him and the girls never die down, it doesn't mean that the Keima was actually attached to one of them.

Furthermore, as the general population of students, except those who were close to the girls themselves, took them as what they were, just rumours floating around and Keima had much more freedom to manoeuvre than one would imagine with someone who had so many links to different girls.

Ah, the **real **was as ridiculous as the **world/ideal** at times too but Keima wasn't going to comment on that since it was acting in his favor, for once.

'Yes, but it would help me if you behave... a little defensively. We cannot let her have the initiative at all costs, Asami. If possible, rope Ayumi and Chihiro in as well. With that I would be able to repeal her attempt to get close. The more frustrated we make her feel, the more we can see the gaps in her offences and logic and the faster I can take her down. You do wish for this assignment to be over quicker, don't you?'

Looking evenly at Yoshino Asami, the classmate and girl-next-door paused, as if considering that fact but she nodded her head soon after.

'Yes, I do wish to be over as soon as possible... I will do as you ask of me, Keima-san... Only if you are sure of this...'

Looking a little confused and of course, anxious, Asami nodded as Keima assured her that it was what he wanted, without realizing that it wasn't really what Asami _herself_ wanted.

But she nodded nonetheless, knowing that it was futile to deny him his wish.

* * *

..

_'Ah, Katsuragi-sempai...?'_

_Her features lighting up when she saw Katsuragi Keima approach the classroom of Class 2-B, Kureha Haruka's excitement and nervousness evaporated when she saw him walking to the class with another girl._

_Haruka knew that Katsuragi Keima had a sister called Elsi and the two of them were inseparable in school but they were just that, siblings and he was not in any special relationship as far as she could tell. Then again, If he was in a special relationship with any girl, Ikoma Minami wouldn't be trying so hard to impress him, would she?_

_Yes, Kureha Haruka had done her homework but she wasn't as well informed as she thought she would be. The girl beside him was totally unknown to her and must have slipped past her web of information. She had heard of rumours circling around Takahara Ayumi sempai and Fuse Aoba-sempai being attracted or were close to Katsuragi but not...this plain looking girl. That said, if the two sempai did really like him, she would be in a huge fix... but she was Kureha Haruka! She won't give up without a fight until her objectives were met!_

_Still, Kureha Haruka was qualified to say that Yoshino Asami was plain looking as she did stand out amongst her peers and even the seniors with her looks._

_Her auburn red hair was striking and so was how she tied it up in long twin-tails that was kept close to her head and resting on her shoulders. She had tried to tie them up in a long ponytail but it was stressful for her and so, the alternative was this. That was topped off with her glasses, chosen for their large lenses and a frame that was white in color that stood out against her healthy tanned skin._

_One could say that if she had a lighter skin tone, Kureha Haruka could pass off as an idol, but as she was in the swimming club, it was to be expected as she did put a lot of time and hours into her swimming._

_Being a member of junior high, it really didn't take much for her to stand out but with her good looks, she definitely stood out a lot as there had been many guys whose eyes had spent more than a few seconds on her as she waited impatiently outside class 2-B._

_It wouldn't be too hard to imagine her being hit on by guys but there was something about her that made the guys back off from her and she displayed an aura that made it difficult for the guys to get her attention. In a way, one can say that she was similar to Aoyama Mio in that regard, with invisible spikes protruding from her, daring anyone to come close to her without even speaking out loud._

..

_'So, Keima-san, I was hoping that you would...'_

_Pausing abruptly, like how many other students did, Yoshino Asami took a look at Kureha Haruka before going back to her conversation with Katsuragi Keima. For Keima's part, his eyes were still glued to his PFP but he did look up momentarily to face the girl in question, causing the younger girl to look and smile eagerly at him before greeting him as well._

_'Katsuragi-sempai!'_

_Walking over to him to make her introduction again, Haruka knew that she was being a little too direct and impatient. She had placed that letter in his shoe locker as well but she just wanted to have a good first impression from him._

_On hindsight, she had forgotten that Keima's first impression of her was already established yesterday when she declared her intent to Keima and Kusonoki._

_To her shock, Keima didn't even react to being called and he was about to enter the classroom when Haruka managed to pull his sleeve, causing him to frown in irritation as he finally placed his PFP down to have a good look at her._

_'…?'_

_Looking confused, he turned to the girl beside him as though she might give an explanation and when she had none, the girl asked her who she was and what she wanted._

_'Ano... do you have something to ask Keima-san?'_

_'EH?! K-Katsuragi-sempai, it's me! It's me, Kureha Haruka desu!'_

_Beaming at him confidently, knowing that she was a very memorable personality, Haruka's hopes were dashed when Keima raised an eyebrow in confusion at that name, almost as if he hadn't heard it before in his life. Didn't she introduce herself last night? Oh, she did, really she did! How could he have forgotten so soon?_

_'… Do I know you?'_

_His words made her heart turn cold and she felt extremely awkward at the exchange going on between the three of them, Kureha wasn't imagining it when she saw the plain looking sempai beside her narrow her eyes just a little while tugging at Katsuragi-sempai's sleeve._

_'Ano... Keima-san... we should be going to class now...'_

_'I, I spoke with you last night! R-Remember? After the swimming heats... Kureha Haruka desu!'_

_Almost shouting indignantly and desperately at the two of them, Haruka felt a wave of relief overcome her as he slowly nodded his head in understanding._

_'Ah... you, from last night.'_

_It was a start at least but all of a sudden she felt a wave of embarrassment overcome her as she realized she was once again in the middle of the spotlight as her shouting had caused quite ruckus and people were popping out of the class to see what was going on._

_At the centre of the attention, Kureha Haruka blamed herself for the mess and she bowed in apology to everyone who was looking at them with a tomato red face and only after they all returned, Haruka bowed to the two of them again before taking off._

_'A-Ano! I-I'm really sorry! I-I'll come again later, sempai!'_

_Taking off as quickly as her legs could carry her, Kureha Haruka made a tactical retreat before the situation could get any more awkward, not even spotting the small smile and shaking of his head as Keima crossed his arms, satisfied at the retreating figure._

* * *

..

'That was mean of Keima-san.'

Yoshino Asami berated him softly even as Elsi agreed with her, commenting that it was just like Keima to make the girl upset at the start of the 'assignment'.

'Kami-Onii-sama, it's not a good thing to make a girl cry... haven't you heard of the saying: Fear a woman scorned?'

At least her saying was right but Keima simply shrugged while commenting that it was the best way to stop her initiative seeing that she was going all out to get his attention. Currently the score was standing at: Keima 1, Haruka 1 after all.

'That said, as she had placed this letter in my shoe locker...'

Passing the letter over for Elsi to see, Keima continued while Asami simply muttered that it was still mean nonetheless.

'She still has some initiative left in her hands... Her first impression, which was totally favourable was replaced and overlapped with that disastrous entrance earlier. One could say that the earlier event is a flag or scene but instead of it working in her favor. She was the one who initiated it after all, I was the one who benefited by taking the initiative from her. She is too immature and inexperienced to be a player character. It is one thing to have confidence in one's abilities, adaptability is another skill that is just as important. Scenarios could develop, change and twist about in the blink of an eye after all. THAT IS WHY THERE ARE NO SAVE FILES IN THE **REAL! **Being as unreasonable as it is.**'**

Muttering darkly and unhappily to himself, Keima pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose before looking at Ayumi and Chihiro. He had filled the two of them in about the situation but despite all that, they didn't seem too eager to be involved after what happened during Yui's capture.

'Well... it was only a matter of time before it happened... but looks like Katsuragi is reaching his demonic hand out to the younger juniors huh?'

Looking a little sick, Chihiro nonetheless remained neutral to the situation even as Ayumi nodded thoughtfully.

'As long as... Keima-kun doesn't like children... I think it's okay... neh?'

Ayumi wasn't sure what she was saying as well as she really didn't think that Keima could sink so low but he proved her wrong again, making her lose a little faith in her.

'… It is not like I have a choice... I suppose I can just ignore her like all of you suggests and let her life be taken by _**it.**_I don't mind as it saves me the trouble.'

Crossing his arms, Keima wasn't surprised when neither of the girls looked too happy with that idea _either_ and they nodded unhappily back at him, telling him that he should continue whatever he was doing.

'I'll... ignore what happens here... again. Why must I do this for you over and over again...'

'… Dayo neh?'

Sighing together, the two girls looked at Keima, who had returned to his thoughts, his hands not even clicking his PFP as he reflected on the script that he had prepared for Kureha Haruka.

Perhaps he'll try the otome-game approach this time to tease the answer from Kureha Haruka by being hard to get. He was not just the **Capturing God**, he was the **God** of being Captured as well, seeing how he had managed to guide Yui to capture him in return.

Well, it was just a theory that he should try anyway... should he take that approach to test his hypothesis?

Was he taking this capture a little too lightly as compared to his other captures? Well, he was being a little too easy-going with his approach, it was possible that the gap in her heart had widened due to his actions earlier but it was like what he told Elsi before, the sempai-factor in this capture was important as well as powerful.

Being a person that was respected by Haruka meant that he could get away with many things as long as he continued to keep the appearance and statue worthy of her respect. So it was a thin fine line that Keima has to tread and unlike with Minami, he must guide Kureha to build up the image that he wanted her to see. Now, when he had no idea of what she wanted from him, if she crafted the wrong image the capture would be ruined before it even began.

..

'Neh, Katsuragi...that girl earlier... she's Kureha Haruka right? I thought she looked familiar... I didn't see her before, but I've heard of her. She's quite infamous in Middle High.'

That got Keima's attention and he looked at Chihiro, who shrugged and continued while tilting her head as she recalled and told him about the rumours that she had heard. Keima really should have known better. It wasn't just Minami who knew about Kureha Haruka; she was striking enough from a distance, and he hadn't noticed that last night as the light was too dim but she was quite a pretty girl.

'They call her the 'Flame of Middle High' and she's quite famous~'

The reference was obviously directed to her red auburn hair and Chihiro added that her hair was natural and not dyed.

'Chihiro, we can't dye our hair in school...'

Looking a little exasperated and Ayumi seemed to have remembered something but Keima interrupted her by commenting that nickname was really not creative at all.

'It gives no hints as to what she really stands for or what she is like. There could be better nicknames showing what the character stands for, for example the 'Demon of Water Colors' or the 'Echo of the Theatre'. A nickname should only be used if it provides highlights and hints of the individual's personality just with the name itself! Not everyone is deserving of a nickname, like this Bug Demon here.'

Pointing at Elsi, who protested that it was not true, Keima endured a pinch from Asami who reminded Keima that Elsi was her sister and shouldn't be bullied.

Keima refrained from mentioning what kind of nickname he could provide them but judging from the look on his face, they were sure that a few of them would be quite offensive. They dropped the issue as Ayumi continued, a little irritated at how she was interrupted by Keima as she was adding the most important detail.

'She's called the 'Flame' not because of her hair, Keima-kun~'

Dragging the sentence while enjoying the look of irritation on Keima's face, Ayumi revealed that Kureha Haruka was known with that nickname as she was apparently a very short-tempered person.

'Ah... well, that makes more sense. A good nickname in a way... although not very creative nonetheless. She didn't show much of her legendary temper earlier... was it just a fluke?'

Keima reflected but Chihiro had the answer as she nodded in agreement to Keima's words.

'That was when she was younger, Ayumi. She was called the 'Flame' during her first year in Junior High as she got into a fight with her senior, the two of them ended up in the hospital.'

'Don't tell me that the 'Flame' got doused by joining the swimming club?'

Hoping that wasn't true, Keima watched and sighed in relief as the two girls simply shrugged as they said they didn't know much after that.

'I didn't even know she was in the swimming club, Keima-kun. I heard she got suspended for a while a few years back there was talk about her when she came back, saying that she was a bit different after that... that's why Chihiro said that she was infamous before, neh? Come to think of it... that was a very big incident as I think it involved someone in High school rather than Middle school... I don't really know the details, it were nothing more than rumours really but...'

It was an insight into her personality but it didn't seem right still. What with her being so touchy and embarrassed today. Still people might change over time and he couldn't rule out the possibility that she has reformed for the better.

'Can you tell me more about the incident, like how it started? Perhaps... she doesn't have an explosive temper but it happened due to another reason. That might be an important clue and a trigger.'

Looking at Chihiro and Ayumi, Keima smiled when the two girls nodded, promising that they'll ask around again.

'That'll be of help, thank you, both of you.'

Keima turned to Elsi, who had been focusing on her raiment for a while now while tracking Haruka and after telling him that Kureha Haruka was loitering _there_, he decided on the next course of action for him.

'Don't lose track of her, Elsi...'

* * *

..

When the first small break between classes arrived, Katsuragi Keima found himself looking down at the capture target, Kureha Haruka as she sat by herself on the school rooftop. Had she been waiting there the whole time for him?

Perhaps she really did her homework after all and Keima gave a small sigh as he blocked his way by standing up in front of him as he walked to his favorite bench.

'It's you again.'

Sounding disinterested, almost bored at her, Keima didn't put down his PFP and instead sought an alternative route away from her.

'…'

Of course, Haruka blocked his advance and he paused for a moment, as if deciding what to do when Haruka spoke up.

'I've been waiting for sempai here! I know this is your favorite spot during break!'

'… Don't you have classes?'

'Sempai have classes too, desho?'

Turning the question right back at him, Haruka beamed when Keima wasn't able to come up with a rebuttal and simply sighed in response.

'What do you want?'

'I said what I wanted before, Katsuragi-sempai! I, want, you 3~'

* * *

**..**

**Author's Notes: Even though she's my OC, Kureha Haruka, I don't like her... for many reasons.**


	26. Past Histories

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 26: Past History**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: This chapter is brought to you thanks to ****_AKAAkira_****, without him it wouldn't be as awesome as it is now.**

**Side not: Azalea Side is delayed due to Hurricane Sandy and I'm not joking about it. My condolences to those that are affected by it.**

* * *

**..**

The two of them, Katsuragi Keima and Kureha Haruka, the **Capturing God** and the _Capturing Target,_ spent some time alone in the rooftop, with Haruka sitting beside Keima as he played his games, skipping a lesson along the way. Initially Haruka was not as bold or as courageous as her initial actions were and was nervous while sitting beside Keima all alone.

Keima noted that she didn't look too muscular but as she was part of the swimming club, he reasoned that there would be painful repercussions galore judging from how the 'legend' of putting another girl in hospital was true. It wouldn't do for him to upset her if she was as strong as her legend was.

Sitting a short distance away from him, Haruka slowly inched closer and closer as Keima proved to be a person whose bark was more dangerous than his bite.

'… This is boring, sempai.'

Her first comment after a whole lot of nothing had happened and as it didn't garner the response that she was expecting, Haruka looked at Keima to see him still focused on his games and she sighed again. Keima on the other hand, decided that this was perhaps his most favorite capture of all, next to Fuse Aoba's capture since he could play his games uninterrupted while 'capturing'. He was killing two birds with one stone! Excellent indeed! Unwittingly due to that, his stock estimation of Kureha Haruka increased just a little.

'…'

'Why won't Katsuragi-sempai say anything? You didn't reply to my declaration of love earlier either!'

It was _not_ a declaration of love or a confession at all and Keima had a lot of words to share with Haruka on that if that was indeed her version of a declaration of love. It was more like a declaration and demand from spoiled child that wanted a soft-toy just because! It was enough to get his blood boiling but he kept his cool as best as he could and simply continued to play his games, causing Haruka to look at him impatiently before speaking.

'Sempai! Stop ignoring me, sempai! You have such a cute and adorable junior with you today too!'

Reaching out to slip her hands around his arms and pressing her body against him, Haruka was dismayed when Keima didn't as much bat an eyelid or blush at the contact. Ordinarily that would have worked but it seemed that his man was something different.

Elsewhere though, some of the 'captured' girls felt a sense of dread or foreboding inside them all of a sudden before it all passed. However, a few of them like Ayumi and Tsukiyo was sure that has to do with Katsuragi Keima, even if they themselves don't know yet.

Silence reigned again as Keima was still testing Haruka's patience and her temper to some extent, if she was as short-tempered and violent as she said she was, she should be bursting a vein about now.

Even if it was an exaggeration at some points.

'Katsuragi-sempai~~~'

Calling his name in an endearing and sweet fashion, Haruka thought she had Keima then when Keima twitched a little and she did her best to turn on her charms but to her disbelief, Keima continued his games by using just one hand, ignoring how she clamped onto his arm like a vice, leaving Haruka in shock.

'W-Why is Katsuragi-sempai ignoring me?! Is it because of what Ikoma said?! She was lying about all of It! If only you'll listen to me too, sempai! I want to clear my name!'

Ah, so they were getting somewhere after all and Keima lowered his PFP for a moment, something that Haruka noticed and seized on as she pushed herself against him and stared at him fiercely.

'Please, sempai! Just listen to me! Ikoma is lying, all of it!'

'… What has this to do with Minami?'

His voice was surprisingly calm and he gave himself some points for that as his cool and frank manner made Haruka hesitated for a moment before meekly asking him whether Ikoma Minami did indeed tell him anything.

'… I asked the question first... '

'B-But, I ask the question second!'

Defiantly trying to go up against him, Haruka was defeated easily as Keima went back to his games again, ignoring her totally before she threw her hands in the air and said that she'll tell him why she was approaching him.

'I'll tell you anything you want, sempai! But you have to promise me that you'll believe me! All of it, okay? Okay?'

As if it was not fated to be so, Keima heard the bell rang and he got up curtly, much to the despair of Kureha Haruka as she looked at him sadly, probably hoping that he'll stay.

'… We'll see.'

'Sempai! Sempai!'

Calling after him, Kureha Haruka's shoulder slumped as she watched him left, totally oblivious to how an invisible Elsi was looking disapprovingly at what Keima had done to her junior.

That thought however, was wiped clean when Kureha Haruka stopped whimpering and kicked the air, apparently in frustration. She looked at her own hands unhappily as she muttered to herself.

'… Katsuragi-sempai... huh?'

Clenching her fist tightly, it seemed that she has gotten more fired up to get Keima to look at her and the look of admiration and respect for Keima scared Elsi a little as she retreated from the roof to report to Keima.

* * *

..

..

'So she's getting all fired up again... huh? That was definitely not in her character... we must look into the incident in the first year to get more insight on her character, Elsi. You did good then.'

Rubbing her head and giving her praise, Keima made Elsi smile happily even as the young demon followed Keima back to class. They had skipped class but thanks to Haqua helping and teaching Elsi more tricks with the raiment, they were hardly missed as the raiment dolls that she made were much better in quality than before.

Not to mention how Elsi was able to finally record down the going-ons in the classroom while they were gone.

'The next scene will take place in the swimming complex... I hope that Minami would be able to come to a decision soon though.'

Reflecting that neither Kusonoki nor Minami had approached them yet, Keima wondered what was causing the delay openly, causing Elsi to tell him that she thinks that the two of them were waiting for him to take the initiative as well.

'Minami-chan isn't someone who would go and find you by herself, would she, Kami-Onii-sama? And Kusonoki-sempai, you told sempai to let Minami think about it too, desho?'

Looking at Keima with a smile on her face, Keima blinked before rubbing his eyes after taking off his glasses, muttering about how tired he must have been.

'E... Elsi made sense... I must be tired... Elsi, I need lunch, now.'

His comments made Elsi pout while calling him a big meanie, which was quickly rectified when Keima reached out to pet her head. Elsi has been taking lessons from Mari the moment that Asami started her own personal mission to prepare lunch for him.

As her partner as well as her _sister, _it was akin to a personal attack to Elsi but most of the time... Elsi wasn't able to compare to Asami at all. She still has a long way to go before she perfected human dishes, due to the fact that she still couldn't quite recognize human ingredients but it was leaps and bound better than what Keima was used to eating.

'That's good, you're picking up on things. I'm proud of you.'

His words made Elsi blush red again, this time in a very good way and the partner of the **Capturing God** nodded eagerly while following his footsteps back to class, where they would surely be thinking about what to do next in their capture for Kureha Haruka.

* * *

..

..

'Sempai! You came, I'm so happy!'

Jumping up and seizing his hand, Kureha Haruka looked at Keima happily as he stepped into the swimming complex. What made him a little concerned was how she was able to keep the entire place empty by herself. Minami had built up the habit to have a small dip during her lunch break after all. Was this part of her plan?

Well, he realized it a little too late and he hoped that Elsi would do her part as Keima sighed in reply to Haruka's excited words.

'… It's you again?'

Pulling the letter out of his pocket, Keima made a good show of wrinkling his nose in disgust before shoving the letter back to her and saying that he wasn't interested.

'Whatever you are about to say, you can keep it to yourself.'

Turning, Keima was surprised to hear her mutter that sempai was as gentle as they say he was, causing him to turn back to look at her indignantly, raising his eyebrows as Haruka laughed shyly and hid the paper behind her back.

'Ordinarily people would have thrown this away desho? But Katsuragi-sempai returned it to me without even crumpling the paper...even if Katsuragi-sempai didn't want to listen to me, you took my feelings into consideration. T-Thank you, sempai!'

Blushing red, Haruka really looked quite adorable but Keima wasn't fooled. She was a good player character, but he knew that she was a good actor as well, if Elsi's claims were anything to go by.

'Hmph...'

Looking defeated, Keima didn't move from the spot and Haruka took that as a success before clamping on to his arm again, this time making sure that Keima felt how her body was pressed against him while pulling him towards a bench in the main swimming complex.

'Katsuragi-sempai, sempai, please listen to me! You have to listen to me, or at least give me a chance to explain everything... I know that sempai likes Ikoma, but that doesn't mean you can just ignore me, right? Please... she must have told you something nasty about me... I know it, she's such a-'

Before she could say more, Haruka stopped as Keima gave her a look that chilled her to the bone as he spoke softly and as calmly as he could muster even though he looked ready to punch her.

'… Minami never told me anything, 'Flame of Middle High.''

..

Calling her out by her nickname and of course referencing her infamous incident with another senior, Keima saw the intended effects as Kureha froze in her spot, her hands losing their grip on him before they slowly slipped down beside her.

'S-So... sh-she did tell you what happened after all... Katsuragi-sempai was lying! She did tell you what happened! Is that why you won't listen to me at all? Y-You'll only listen to Ikoma after all... I... I thought... that you'll give me a chance!'

Looking very upset, Kureha Haruka stood up suddenly, almost bowling Keima over before she ran away from him, causing him to look after her in surprise. That was a response that was too violent for it to be contributed to her acting, he did see tears coming out of her eyes and most importantly, it reminded him of something... a scene that he had scene before countless number of times that he could almost recite it by memory.

'… Elsi, go after her and check on her status... this time, I broke her façade... It looks like it _might_ not be due to Minami after all. But she was hiding something from us...'

Looking at the grip marks on his hand, Keima wondered if he had hurt her too much earlier but it wasn't his fault that he didn't have the information to work with. His hunch was right, that _incident_ might be something worth checking out after all as she had visibly reacted when he mentioned her nickname.

'So she really didn't like it herself.'

Commenting to himself, Keima sat back on the bench as he pulled out his PFP and considered his next options.

The worst case scenario was that they'll have to delay the capture for a few days to find the truth out... but it seemed... too easy, even with the sempai advantage. No, he was missing something here... something important that he was not seeing.

* * *

..

Going back to class by himself, Keima considered for a moment before he turned towards the stairs and walked towards the stairs instead. There was something about what Elsi said earlier that made sense to him. He could not keep on expecting help from the girls that were involved. They were unlike Haqua or Elsi in that the two of them were being dragged into this issue in the first place and so it was his turn to show his sincerity in visiting them for help himself. Anything less would be disrespectful to her.

Thinking about the issue at hand, Keima did not notice that he had walked past Kusonoki's classroom when he noticed someone that shouldn't be there. It was Kureha Haruka and she looked very upset at Kusonoki even as she exchanged heated words with her in a corner at the end of the block. He couldn't hear what they were saying from a distance and despite others looking at him oddly, Keima hid behind a pillar while trying to make sense of the words that were being said.

Was he finally going to see the legendary temper that had branded her with the nickname, 'Flame of Middle High'? Keima had tested her patience in more than one account and although he did provoke her, his evaluation of her was that she was merely an impatient person and not really a short-tempered fuse waiting to happen. This reaction was blown out of proportion compared to how minor it had been. Or was it really that minor?

What really happened then? It was something that must be really important for her to get so emotionally worked up over it and judging from the whispers and murmurs that were said around him:

..

_'Oh look, it's that girl! The one they called the 'Flame' desho?'_

_'Mm mm! Ohh nasty, she sure is worked up isn't she? I wonder what happened..._

_'It's not the first time that she's here, is she? I wonder why she keeps asking for Kusonoki sempai...'_

..

_'I wonder the two of them are going to fight!'_

_'I'll bet on Kusonoki, she's sure to win!'_

_'Are you sure? I'll bet on the junior then!'_

..

The senior students made no attempt to stop the two of them, which made Keima wonder if there was more to this than it really meets the eye. Sure, Kasuga Kusonoki was well known in school for her martial artist prowess and it was quite disturbing that no one was stepping up to intervene before the situation got dangerous.

Were they apprehensive of getting involved? Well, Keima understood their reservations as Kasuga Kusonoki did have the capability to punch through solid concrete, as demonstrated during his capture of her but why were the boys cheering them on to fight?

They couldn't possibly expect this fight to be equal or at least fair for Kureha did they? Or perhaps they were just too excited and bored and were just hoping for excitement in their dreary lives.

Keima sincerely hoped not as if that was so, he would sadly have to determine that the future of Japan looked bleak if violence was the only thing that would interest them. What good would it do for the two girls to beat themselves senseless? It'll not only be painful but at the same time meaningless as it would be a one-sided affair.

Thankfully however, Keima had the belief that Kasuga Kusonoki would not do what his seniors were hoping as she was not the one who had initiated this encounter, not to mention that she was quite a disciplined and well-behaved student seeing that she did practise martial arts.

At least, when she wasn't mad... and suddenly Keima felt worried when he saw Kusonoki clenching her fist tightly repeatedly in exasperation, her eyebrows knitting together in a fashion that told him that she was getting really irritated by her words.

Before the situation could get more heated up, the bell rang and as the two girls looked around them, they seemed to realize that they were being overheard and they looked away immediately before Keima made a hasty retreat.

That was important, a scene and event that he stumbled upon by chance! Or perhaps it was a logical part of the route? No matter, it looked like that the goddess of luck was indeed shining down on him today.

'Now to... look at the discrepancies...'

There was definitely something going on between Kureha Haruka and the two girls, Kasuga Kusonoki and Ikoma Minami and he knew exactly who to approach for more information.

* * *

..

'… Sempai...'

Looking a little awkward as he was waiting for her after school, Katsuragi Keima nodded to Ikoma Minami, hinting that he wanted to talk to her and privately with no one else with him, causing the girl to turn red as she hurried over to Keima's side with wolf-whistles coming from her class. The two of them made a hasty retreat before Minami's friends could corner the two of them.

'Sempai... what... you never come down here to fetch me after school...'

Minami tried to make small talk but Keima wasn't in the mood for it today, not today and not after Ikoma Minami was hiding something from him. He had learnt from his mistakes and perhaps it was true that he was too agitated then over Haruka's derogatory remarks to Minami but even so, that didn't mean that he should have made such a remark back in order to defend Minami, no matter how mad he was.

It was certain now that he had indeed opened up the gap in her heart by a significant amount by reopening the old wounds and if he had just been a little more... patient and understanding to her, which he should have despite having the sempai advantage, Katsuragi Keima had screwed up big time due to his own personal bias concerning Ikoma Minami.

This had to change and he was determined to make amends for the mistake that he made by guiding Minami back to the swimming complex, where it was still empty as the swimming team hadn't made their way here. He started by turning back and looking disapprovingly back at Minami, who shrunk back in fear.

'S-Sempai? Did... I do something wrong?'

'… Everything was wrong at the start... and although it was my fault that I did not verify the information, I'm afraid that you were the one that created the flow of misinformation, Ikoma... Or perhaps I hadn't paid close enough attention to spot that discrepancy.'

Eyes widening as Keima called her by her family name instead of her given name, Minami knew that Keima was really mad at her and she swallowed before starting to reply him, failing so when Kema raised a finger in front of her in disappointment.

'Let me finish, Ikoma... I initially believed that Kusonoki was covering for you as you were too upset to talk about Kureha Haruka. My initial assumption was that she had bullied you, and the story that the two of you told me gives me more verification that it was the truth as well. That assumption and essentially the backbone of the core of my analysis was not broken but further strengthened when I discovered that you had taken her place in the swimming was designated as a reserve swimmer after the heats the day before after all. All signs point to her being jealous, upset, and she had both the motive and means to carry a grudge with you.'

..

Taking a deep breath before continuing, Keima pulled Ikoma towards the bench that the two of them, Keima and Haruka had been sitting on earlier and made the frightened and intimidated girl sit down on the bench with him.

'However, that theory was slowly being revised when I dug deeper... Kureha Haruka's nickname of 'Flame of Middle High', the incident that occurred a few years back was the one that told me that something was wrong and missing in the picture. What made the news so interesting was that it seemed to be a rumour and yet a true story at the same time as I verified that everyone in Junior High and High School had heard of it to some degree. But there were no concrete details as to who the 'Flame of Middle High' had fought with and had subsequently hospitalized in.

That was something that made me feel suspicious... especially seeing how big the matter would be in school... but there were no official records about it. My interactions with her were minimal, due to respect given to you and Kusonoki but it was enough to tell me that Haruka was not an aggressive person at all. She might be a very impatient individual but she would not be one that would be easily angered... Her reaction earlier just proved to me that it was something of grave importance to her but perhaps not to the other parties.'

Finding it a little upsetting that Keima was calling Kureha Haruka by her name, Minami was unable to say a single word as Keima made his way to the truth slowly by himself. Even if he might have not evidence, it was a good theory that he had built up with the clues that he was slowly given. If anything, it was Minami that was proving his theory for him.

'Haruka was especially affected when I mentioned that nickname to her and she seemed to find fault in you, of all people in telling me about the rumour... so I am asking you, Ikoma Minami... and I won't ask you again... tell me, about the incident that happened 2 years ago... and whether it was really Kasuga Kusonoki that had gotten in a fight with Kureha Haruka.'

He asked slowly even as he knew that even if he was right... the advantage that he had with Kureha Haruka, the sempai factor especially, was totally gone and he would have to start from scratch...

Right now however, he would want nothing else but the truth.

They had hid this away from him long enough...

'… H... Hai... Sempai, I... I will tell you about that incident...'

Sniffing as she wiped away the tears, Minami seemed more relieved than anything as she told Keima the story of that incident, the one that coined Kureha Haruka as the 'Flame of Middle High'.

* * *

**..**

**Author's notes: Ah, it seems that Kureha Haruka has been getting a lot of flak too. Well, I don't fully disagree, but do share your thoughts when you review.**


	27. Confessions MK 2

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 27: Confessions Mk II**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay, IRL happened.**

**Thank you, ****_AKAAkira _****for the awesome beta-edit. Without you, this arc would not see the light of day.**

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**..**

Kureha Haruka, Junior High, Third Year, Class 2 and the capturing target for the Capturing God, Katsuragi Keima. In order to find the reason for the gap in her heart, successfully capture her and to see her ending, it was important and detrimental to know her backstory.

It wasn't simply about knowing who she was, what kind of character she was and what archetype she fitted into, although that helped a lot. Rather, it was to know her history amd exactly what she had been through.

There was a reason for everything in the world, reasons linked together by actions in the past or in the future or perhaps something happening in the near future.

Keima was able to pinpoint that with the help of Tsukiyo and Shiori when capturing Konoe Rea and he had thought that the girls involved this time. Kasuga Kusonoki and Ikoma Minami, would do the same. Plus as he had the 'sempai factor' where anything that he would do, provided that it was still within the acceptable boundaries, would still score points, he thought that this capture was in the bag.

What he had found out however was that the girls, instead of helping him as he had thought, had been actively trying to distort or hide the truth from him.

Any patience or bias he had for the two girls, especially Ikoma Minami, was sorely tested but he still wanted to give the two of them the benefit of the doubt, seeing that he had been lying to them for some point before as well.

'… Haruka, she… was trying to make up to Kusonoki-sempai… you see… Katsuragi-sempai was right… I didn't think that sempai would be able to figure out, no, I was… sure that sempai wouldn't be able to find out… I wouldn't have known too, if I didn't figure out myself... Haruka she... doesn't like to bother others with her problems…'

It seemed that Minami was close to Kureha Haruka before if she was able to call her by her given name and Keima relaxed a little as he listened to her relate the story to him.

It surely was something important or at least, something that Minami felt bad about as she was struggling not to cry. Perhaps he was a little too harsh with her? For her to admit that she was going on assumptions was making alarm bells ring in his head though.

'… B-But then… I think, I knew that I wouldn't be able to… keep it from Katsuragi-sempai for so long… h-how did sempai find out? That… Haruka and Kusonoki-sempai were involved'?

'It was a guess on my part, but there were clues when I dug deeper; it's all thanks to the incident and the nickname that tipped me off. The 'Flame of Middle high' was not referencing her hair color nor was it her temper, it was referencing her status as someone who is passionate and who is able to influence others around her. Am I right to say that?'

'Hai… Haruka was someone who was very bright, cheerful and very passionate about everything that she does… but she doesn't stay with anything for a long period of time…'

'She is an impatient one alright, she doesn't have a fixed interest in everything and anything, does she? She's like an athletic Fuse Aoba…'

Minami laughed and she nodded, Haruka was an individual just like that. Before she asked how he knew , Keima replied that he had checked the records (with Elsi's help of course) that showed that Kureha Haruka had only joined the swimming team earlier this year.

'For her to be considered a full team member within a year meant that she must be very gifted athletically. Plus I've checked the timing for the heats that were taken when choosing the school team; Kureha Haruka was not at the bottom of the list. In fact, she was amongst the Top Ten swimmers in Junior High.

There is really no reason for the timings she averaged in the swimming heats. She was planning on dropping out of the swimming team soon, right?'

Looking down at his hands, Keima recited the clubs that she had joined in the past, Track and Field, Basketball, Hockey, Football as well as the Softball team.

'She had performed well in all of those and had even taken part in a few of the competitions representing the school. That showed that despite her lack of dedication to the teams, Kureha was very very good at them. It was only her lack of focus that caused it all, isn't it?

I had pulled a few favors and asked around; the coaches or the teacher in charge of the clubs were not angry with her for quitting, in fact they just lamented that she couldn't settle down more. They were resigned about it… Kureha Haruka was indeed a talent that was rarely seen, a true genius when sports are concerned.'

'Mm… Haruka gave me tips when I am training and… everyone likes her, that's why she's called the 'Flame', everyone can't help but be drawn to her… no one can blame her for getting too close to her either.'

'A surprisingly good nickname then.'

There was a brief silence between the two of them but Keima welcomed it as he didn't want things to be too awkward between the two of them. Yes, Minami was wrong in withholding information from him but she was probably asked to do so by Kusonoki herself. The person that he had to confront was Kasuga Kusonoki, not Ikoma Minami. It made him feel a little sad that Kusonoki would want to make things so difficult for her and for him. If she had come clean earlier, it would have prevented him from destroying that 'sempai factor'.

..

'Sempai, you don't know… exactly what happened… desho? Haruka, she joined the female Karate Club when she was in her first year… '

That explained a lot of things; Haruka's activity for the first year was covered up and probably edited, probably due to that 'incident' that had taken place. Minami was able to highlight exactly what might had happened at long last.

'As… you probably guessed, Kusonoki sempai, wasn't very happy when Haruka said that she was leaving the club and joining another…'

So was that a factor in how the Female Karate Club had only Kusonoki as a member? He had always thought that no one wanted to join the club due to how strict and strong Kusonoki was, but was it due to the clash between Haruka and Kusonoki?

'… This reminds me of Nagase Jun…'

Looking and feeling nostalgic at the small similarities the two of them had, Keima commented that it might and could have been a factor that made Kusonoki train harder. Kusonoki wasn't exactly a popular person in school unlike Guido Yui. She was well known, yes, but her reputation was one of awe as well as fear. Was that a result of going against the 'Flame of Middle High'? Keima reasoned that it wouldn't have gone for Kusonoki if she had lashed back harshly at Haruka a popular and easygoing person who got along with everyone else.

That might have resulted in the entire club quitting after her as well as creating that new impression of Kasuga Kusonoki in the school. Well, these were all theories, he didn't have concrete evidence of it happening.

'Haruka wanted to leave… but Kusonoki-sempai didn't want to let her go… so… she challenged her to a duel. If Haruka won, she would be able to leave but if Kusonoki-sempai won, she would have to join her dojo.'

'…Hmph, that seems like what Kusonoki would do. Well, waste not, want not… I guess she too can spot talent when she sees one. She did go a little extreme though, even if Kureha Haruka was a talented individual, wasn't that too much to expect from her?'

Leaning back and resting against the bench, Keima sat in shock when Minami admitted that Haruka did manage to injure Kusonoki sempai.

'She defeated that monster?!'

'T-That's rude, sempai! Kusonoki-sempai isn't a monster!'

Looking at him indignantly, Minami smiled awkwardly when Keima highlighted that Kusonoki could punch through concrete blocks and not break them, which was relatively uncommon, causing Minami to admit that yes, there were times when Kusonoki seemed a little too strong.

'But… it was true, Haruka did hit sempai, hard enough to need a check-up at the hospital... she said she didn't block that strike properly.'

'So Kureha Haruka really won?'

'Sempai... Haruka left the karate club... remember?'

That was definitely unexpected… was Kusonoki bitter for that?

As though she read his mind, Minami shrugged while shaking her head, saying that she really didn't know what Kasuga Kusonoki felt about the situation.

'Gomen neh, sempai… I really don't know… Haruka wanted me to help her with sempai… Haruka she… must have felt bad about what she did to sempai then but sempai has been ignoring her till now…'

'I see… so the situation and cause for the gap in her heart…'

It was caused by Kasuga Kusonoki and not Ikoma Minami. This development meant that the 'ending' that he saw was totally wrong and so the loss of that 'sempai' factor was probably worth this game-changing information. As the Capturing God, there was no girl that he cannot capture, regardless of the plot and the background.

Even with no save states, or save files or instant replays, he would capture Kureha Haruka.

'… Even so, you are not bitter for the way she treated you? She was the one who alienated you from the swimming team... Isn't that right?'

Raising the most important question of all, Keima wasn't sure what he was feeling as Minami shook her head and explained that it was already something that had been happening before.

'Even before Haruka asked me for help with Kusonoki-sempai, the... others weren't happy that I was training with the seniors... so... it would still happen... perhaps I was wrong in what I told them... but it wasn't just Haruka that was hurt, the others were hurt too... I... it probably was my fault that it happened this way and after finding out about Haruka and sempai...'

Nodding his head in understanding, Keima asked her why she was so... odd when he raised Kureha Haruka in the first place.

'A-Any girl would be upset if you ask a girl about another! Sempai... you... don't understand it... do you?'

Keima did understand and he would slap his head for not picking that up earlier. For now he simply shrugged while commenting on the situation again.

'I suppose Kusonoki's pride is in the way of a reconciliation… I'll speak to her about it, Minami.'

Eyes lighting up as Minami heard her name being raised by Keima again, Minami worriedly looked at him before asking him whether he'll forgive her for hiding that from him.

'Gomen… sempai… I… I know I should have told sempai but…'

'…'

Keima didn't say a word but instead rubbed his hand against her hair, causing her to squeak in surprise and turning red in embarrassment at his show of affection.

'Everyone has their own secrets… and it is up to him or herself to decide what the right thing to do in each situation is. As you came clean with me today, I've nothing to be mad at you about, Minami…'

He wasn't mad at Kusonoki either, it was something very personal and close to her heart and there was no way that he could say that he was mad at her.

Not when all of them were deceived by him not long back.

'I'll help the two of them, I promise you that, Minami.'

'Please sempai… I'll… I'll help you in whatever way that I can…'

'… I will need your help on that, definitely.'

* * *

..

..

As he left the swimming complex, Minami staying back to train as well as wishing him luck for the 'assignment' ahead, Keima turned to the invisible Elsi, who had laid low and hid herself from Minami's view throughout the entire confession by her.

'I can't believe that Kasuga-san would… do that. Could Minami-chan be wrong?'

Looking at him even as Keima rubbed his chin thoughtfully, Elsi smiled sadly as Keima shook as head.

'It should be the truth, Minami seemed relieved and happy even when I confronted her about that fact. That shows that she was probably upset about keeping this information from me. What I am more concerned about right now is Kasuga Kusonoki… her motive behind the entire thing bothers…'

'No, Kami-Onii-sama! That's wrong! You should be more concerned about Kureha Haruka-chan! She's upset you know, I know I am used to Kami-Onii-sama making the girls upset, I… don't think Kami-Onii-sama should leave her alone right now.'

'…'

Elsi's words made sense, a lot of sense, and Keima nodded slowly in agreement, causing Elsi to blush happily as he praised her for raising a valid point.

"Kasuga Kusonoki is an individual that I can meet any time… the story and 'ending' can come later, right now… it is back to square one for the two of us. That is good thinking, Elsi, I suppose you have tracked her down?'

'Mm mm.. I have! She's heading towards the swimming complex right now~ Shall I hide away, Kami-Onii-sama?'

'Yes, and make haste, I want you to locate and tag Kusonoki before she leaves school. Go, Elsi!'

..

Pushing Elsi away even as he saw the unmistakable figure of Kureha Haruka walking in the opposite direction he was going, Keima put on his game face and continued playing his games.

If Kureha Haruka showed any signs of recognizing or spotting him from a distance, she kept it to herself, not like Keima wasn't expecting that. She was a very superb actor and like how he had described her to Minami before, Kureha Haruka was an athletic version of Fuse Aoba. However, he could also say that they were exact opposites of each other.

Aoba was known to be a very emotionless person, not to mention one who had little if few friends and was subsequently named as the 'Ice Princess', a very fitting nickname.'

Haruka was a very people person, and from her nickname and her reputation, very well known to people and was a superb 'actor' in that she preferred to show others what she thought through her expressions and was subsequently named as the 'Flame of Middle High'.

There were other differences in that Aoba was a person who was practical and who looked at everything in a very efficient manner, Focusing on herself, or if the situation calls for it, on another individual to ensure that everything was done in the easiest and least harmful way. Even if Keima said once that Aoba was not aiming for the 'best' ending, but there was no doubt that she was ending for the 'good' end as she would never hurt or manipulate another person for her own good.

Now he wasn't so sure about Kureha Haruka and although Keima wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt seeing that she was such a great actor the day before. There was a possibility that she was at heart a truly malicious and manipulative person. However as she wanted to make amends to Kusonoki, it didn't seem that way to him. But it was still an uncertainty at this point; that he was sure about.

What Keima wanted to know now was whether Kureha Haruka could indeed be at the opposite end of the spectrum and that she was truly one that was manipulative and malicious for her own sake, ignoring the others and only letting her forward.

He personally hoped that it was so as those girls were difficult to 'capture' due to their ballooned egos that made it difficult for them to accept another person in their lives. However, that same trait makes them putty in his hands.

..

That said, if she was indeed the 'flame' where everyone was drawn to and attracted to her, it could only mean that either she was that good with her manipulative actions or she was just being sincere all the time, never quite seeing what was wrong, as apparently everyone didn't quite mind her leaving, although no one truly sand praises for her either.

It was a conflicting scenario and Keima wondered what her true personality was like, it was difficult to peer through a mask after all and he had the feeling that he would have to revisit this question again in the future. Elsi's breakthrough was important as he wouldn't have guessed that such a person, who had been trying her best to get his attention, would be putting up an act. Although he was the last person with the right to say that…

As the two of them neared each other, Keima saw that she averted her eyes from him and she hesitated upon seeing him put his PFP down momentarily to look at her. After her research and her careful observation of the situation, Haruka knew that he was paying attention to her, not his games, and her heart beat quickened when Keima apologized to her softly while passing her.

It was almost inaudible, but Haruka knew and swore that he did say that he was sorry for mistaking her and although she was tempted to turn around and to ask him to stop, she had her own pride too.

It wasn't the first time that Kureha Haruka had dealt with stubborn and prideful people, Kasuga Kusonoki was the best example of that but seeing how Katsuragi Keima had changed his opinion of her, as well as giving her an apology for his words, which had really really hurt, Kureha Haruka forgave him in her heart.

Not that she would tell him that for now, she had to protect her own pride too and from how Keima had apologized to her, she should offer him the same courtesy and just walked off after meeting him, with a much lighter heart and step.

* * *

..

It was an abrupt ending for today's activities but Keima felt that it was alright to give Haruka some time alone, to let the time heal her wounds and he wanted to see what Haruka would do next when faced with a confession from Keima.

As he made his way back to the front gate, Keima raised an eyebrow when he saw Takahara Ayumi and Kosaka Chihiro there, apparently waiting for him and he nodded while the two of them waved back.

It was agreed that all the girls would just go on with their lives normally and not make a conscious effort in making themselves scarce whenever the capture took place as this was a unique situation.

Even if he did lose the 'sempai advantage' as well as having an uphill battle to go on with him destroying most, if not all of the test she had for him, he was the Capturing God after all. He would find an ending and a breakthrough by himself! If not, then he'll have to make one, guiding this girl to the root of the problem.

The final concern he had was that he wasn't sure that by helping Haruka make amends with Kusonoki would make the gap in her heart disappear.

After all it had been a few years since that incident… and as Weiss, if left unchecked would take over with the passing of time, it was unreasonable to expect her to have carried that gap with her for such a long time.

Even if one takes into account the best possible scenario, that she was only possessed recently, it would mean that it was just plain bad luck and Keima didn't believe in luck.

There was the distinct possibility that the issue with Kasuga Kusonoki was yet again, another diversion and there was something else that he needed to do to close that gap in her heart.

He was the Capturing God, whose job was to capture Weiss by filling their hearts with love, not to finish an unfinished business.

That was the rule of the real and was something Keima believed in, absolutely.

..

'Katsuragi, Hurry up! We've been waiting for you!'

'Keima-kun!'

Jumping up and down energetically, Ayumi smiled while reaching out to hold his hands with her, shaking them up and down as she greeted him.

'A-Ayumi…'

Looking embarrassed at her friend's actions, Chihiro stomped off even as Ayumi pulled and tugged Keima to follow them as they made their way home.

'Where's Elsi? We told her that we wanted to speak to you… did she tell you that we'll be waiting here?'

Ayumi asked cheerfully while Keima considered his words. So Elsi did forget something but she has been doing so well too…

'She'll catch up, I'll give her a call and ask her to meet me at home.'

Reaching for his phone, the two girls pounced at that opportunity and asked him for his mail address. Currently the only few individuals who did have his mail address were Nakagawa Kanon, Fuse Aoba, Shiomiya Shiori, Yoshino Asami and Elsi, the other girls were all waiting for him to share his mail address with them. Sure, they had his number and all that, but a mailing address was so much more convenient!

'Mind you, I won't reply your mails.'

Commenting curtly, the girls had different responses, Ayumi simply giggled and nodded while Chihiro commented that she wasn't expecting him to anyway.

'So tell me… what did you two find out?'

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: Support the author, drop a review below! MW's and AZ would be back on it's regular schedule, as far as I can anyway!**


	28. One's Secret

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 28: One's Secrets**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: OOPS! THIS CHAPTER TOTALLY SLIPPED MY MIND! SORRY!**

**Thank you, ****_AKAAKIRA_**** for the beta-edit as always!**

* * *

**..**

**..**

'Did you have any luck today?'

Making small talk as the three of them headed home together, Keima shook his head while Ayumi nodded in apology, telling him that he'll do better tomorrow.

'But I did learn something new today… the incident that Kureha Haruka was involved in is something of utmost importance. I need to know more, did you two find anything about it?'

Looking at the two of them who nodded, Ayumi started the ball rolling by saying that she had heard many versions of the story.

'It happened to someone who was in high school in the first year, that's why it was very famous in Junior high. We were in junior high then, weren't we?'

Looking at Chihiro, who nodded, Ayumi blinked as Keima admitted that he wasn't from Mai-High originally, he had transferred into Mai-High in the first year as he just moved here.

'Ah, that's right… Keima-kun entered school as a first year student desho? We weren't in the same class then…'

'I was, I remember everyone staring at you when you did an introduction.'

'… What was wrong with it?'

'That wasn't an introduction, you just said your name out and said that you are 'God', honestly I still can't believe you did that even now.'

Shaking her head and smiling a little wryly while remembering the past, her recollection made Ayumi look a little wistful as she asked Chihiro to tell her more.

'Well, I know a lot of the people in class… but Katsuragi was a transfer student who came in… so naturally everyone wanted to know how he was like… when we all knew that he was an ota-'

Chihiro turned red and then apologized to Keima, who simply shrugged and said that it didn't bother him, if it did bother him at all at this stage.

'Gomen… Katsuragi… Well, we know it was mean but Katsuragi never fought back and so…'

'It is the basis of human nature, there will always be an individual who is the butt of jokes and who is bullied or looked down on to boost the egos of others around them. That is the pathetic way that the real works and is based on, and although I cannot say my ideal is perfect, there have been cases where the same scenario happens. Yet we do not see an end of the bullying regardless of whether the victim fights back. Thus, it is more energy sufficient for me to ignore my tormentors… that said… I am gratified that the two of you had stopped calling me that. Although I feel that the two of you should not endanger yourself by defending me.'

Commenting quietly, Keima saw the two girls looking at each other, the situation was complex and there was no doubt that they did not know what to say.

'Well… it's my fault, I know that… so, gomen, Katsuragi…'

'Keima-kun… I… I don't know but I… do you mind if I ask you a question? It's… it's fine if you don't answer though…'

Looking extremely awkward, Ayumi was red as a cherry as she finally did pop the question after a long while of muttering and stuttering.

'Yo-You know… and w-we know… how Keima-kun is like. Don't you feel bad that only we know about how you are like? What… you are really like… It… It will make the others stop judging you too… don't you think so?'

Looking at him hopefully, Ayumi just smiled weakly along with Chihiro as he commented that it was still more energy efficient this way.

'The balance that I had struck with all of you is perfect enough as it is… Any more details and the real will take even more things from me.

'Katsuragi just wants to play his games, don't be fooled by him, Ayumi! He's just trying to act and look cool.'

Chihiro nodded sagely as Keima nodded his head in agreement.

'That is the truth, I do not deny that… if there were saves states in the real I'll be able to finish this capture in a matter of days… that said, back to the topic, what we were discussing earlier. If it was in the ideal, there would be an ending where everyone would apologize to the person and he would forgive everyone else… which is totally impractical in the real. Do you think that an apology would suffice after all they have said and done?'

He did not sound harsh, but neither did he sound forgiving either. He was detached from his emotions at this point but the girls felt a little afraid at the new tone that he was adopting. They had never heard him like that before and they knew instinctively that he was upset.

'Do you…?'

Asking again, only this time with a much colder and cooler tone, Katsuragi Keima did not look at the two girls who swallowed nervously. Eventually however, Chihiro shrugged and replied bravely to him.

'… I don't know. I don't know what Katsuragi felt about the situation despite saying that it's fine as I don't know how Katsuragi thinks of the others. I know, that Katsuragi feels indebted to us, but that's not true… _we_ are indebted to Katsuragi. That's all we know… because, you won't tell us anything else… '

It was a brave speech and she was glad to get it off her chest as Chihiro felt that it was unfair for them to help him when they did not know what they were helping in.

How could they when Keima had the tendency and habit to keep everything to himself? It was a pet peeve of the girls but no one had the courage to ask Keima themselves. That was, until Chihiro seized this opportunity to ask him that.

..

Out of all the girls, one can say that the person who can read Keima the best was Fuse Aoba, she was his student after all, but when it comes to someone who knows and was the most familiar with Keima, it had to be Elsi.

But surprisingly, the person who knew the most about Keima was perhaps Chihiro. She was the girl who had surprised him about what she had observed about him. There was no doubt that she was indeed the person who did understand Keima the best for they shared some similar characteristics.

To their surprise, Keima laughed softly and shook his head at Chihiro, who simply smiled back uncertainly while shaking her head in a similar fashion.

'That, is the right answer, Chihiro… and even I don't know the answer to that.'

Admitting with a carefree shrug, the three of them walked on together, the two girls having discovered a new, sensitive side of Keima that they didn't see before.

* * *

..

'So the person that they had gotten a fight with is probably in the third year now… one of our sempais…'

'Well, I didn't hear that it was really a fight, if it was a fight, wouldn't the teachers expel them from school? Besides… I didn't even hear them mention once about a 'fight', I asked all the people I knew but they didn't say that at all.'

Hearing the two of them give more details about the incident, which was a little late, Keima still thanked them for asking around on his behalf. To their benefit, if Keima hadn't gone ahead to look at the records with Elsi's help, those statements would only lead them to the same path. Regardless of the many variations of the story, all of them had the same basic premise in which Kureha Haruka was challenged to do 'something' with a 'senior', causing 'someone' to be 'admitted' to the hospital for 'some' injuries and as a result, Kureha Haruka was suspended for a few weeks.

That said, from how there weren't any blemishes on her record, one can say that it was just a light tap on the wrist for her. On the other hand, Kusonoki probably hadn't gotten off easy herself, even not if she didn't initiate the 'spar'...'

'She is an incredible person though, it's just odd that none of us really remembered what she did…we didn't see it but we heard of it… it just doesn't make sense… I heard of her though, she's quite good in running, pity she quit the team too.'

'It does, it just meant that although it was something important and big, it wasn't something that we might have actually believed and thus it turned into a rumour.'

'Actually believed? Isn't that what happened? Kureha Haruka was suspended for a few weeks desho?'

'She was… but like Chihiro said, if they were really fighting, the issue wouldn't be resolved just by suspending her for a few weeks. I wasn't able to check her records even after sneaking into the register.'

Lowering his voice as he admitted that Elsi had obtained some of the information illegally with the help of her raiment, Keima raised a finger to the two girls who looked really scandalized.

'There was a cover up, the school probably wanted to let the parents know that they were taking proper disciplinary actions… what happened was probably nothing important… it might be shocking, that's why those rumour surfaced but as there were no faces to the parties, or rather, the majority of the people wasn't sure if it was the truth leading to the rumours being unable to solidify into something solid in the end.

Another reason might be that the person involved in the cover up must be something important... someone from a respectable enough family member that bowing to them was the politically correct route to take.'

'Did you find out who the parties involved were, Katsuragi? I want to know too!'

'Me too, Keima-kun!'

Latching onto his every word, the two girls were very disappointed when he said that he would rather keep that information to himself for now.

'There are still things that I want to check… is there anything else.'

'Gomen ne, I don't think there's anything else…'

Looking apologetic, the two girls said that they were done and as they were near the shopping district, Ayumi tugged Chihiro as they reached the intersection.

'… Keima-kun needs some time alone neh? We won't take up any more of your time then.'

Bowing to him, Ayumi was about to leave when Chihiro called out to him softly before being pulled away.

'Everybody has secrets, Katsuragi… even her, so be gentle with her!'

It was good advice, and Keima nodded sternly as he made his way back home.

* * *

..

..

'I tagged Kasuga-sempai, Kami-Onii-sama~ she was training by herself in the Dojo at school today!~'

The two of them had learnt not to discuss about work during dinner as Keima had the tendency to just go off a tangent without warning as he got worked up over the situation so Elsi said this only after they had the privacy of Keima's room. Only to see him sitting on his table and looking out the stars. The last time she had seen him do this was just before summer break ended; and he had seemed sad, very sad and conflicted and it was the first time that Elsi didn't know what to say or do to help him through it.

This time however, Elis mustered her courage and slowly walked over to Keima and then, after talking a deep breath, slid beside him and sat there, joining him in contemplating silently in the darkness that was only illuminated by the street lights.

Her heart was pounding and she was sure that she was blushing but Elsi didn't back down and only sat there to give him company, for perhaps that was what he wanted after all.

As someone who was willing to spend time with him just because she can and not for another other reason than that, Elsi hoped that Keima would tell her what was bothering him. But she found that she didn't quite mind if he didn't as well. It was alright sometimes to just be with someone that she liked and looked up to. It made her have a little bit more strength and confidence in herself as well to know that he didn't ask her to go away like how he sometimes did. He was okay with her there after all.

Unlike a heroine, who would ask him what he was looking at, Elsi was a sibling as well as a partner. She had right to do that with him for as long as he would have her and she relished that moment together with him.

After a long time, Keima finally broke the silence as he asked her something that seemed so simple.

'Have you any regrets, Elsi?'

'Regrets, Kami-Onii-sama?'

..  
..

Musing about the question, Elsi took a while to reply and she said that although many things that had happened so far, the many failures that she had to face and have to work to get her way here:

'I don't have any regrets at all, Kami-Onii-sama~ If I have, I'm taking for granted what I have now, you, Kami-Onii-sama and Oka-sama with all of my friends~ If I have regrets, that'll mean that I need to do something different right? I won't do it!'

It was a beautiful speech from Elsi, almost like it came from a game, almost… as Elsi was still a little stubborn by saying that it would be taking her precious things for granted when it really wasn't so. What if they had their own regrets as well? Wouldn't Elsi be taking their wish for granted then? Well, he digressed and he really wondered why he spent so much time musing about the question.

Keima had always taken the other girl's privacy as a concern, especially when he had taken the lengths to keep up the secrets that Aoyama Mio and Kujyo Tsukiyo had tried to keep to themselves.

At least, he had showed that fact of him to those two girls during their capturing routes but this time, he hadn't shown that decency to Haruka at all and was looking into her past without her knowing and hinting that he did to her without even contemplating the consequences.

This wasn't just a 'restart' it was just like trying to get back to a heroine after the 'bad end' flag had triggered and even as the Capturing God, there were things that he couldn't salvage. Was this one of it?

'What about you, Kami-Onii-sama?'

That was the question that he had been asking himself for the whole time but when looking at those eyes, who never doubted him for a moment, Keima smiled and laughed a little dryly as he commented that he did.

'I do, I have… regretted the one time that the thought crossed my mind… that I should never have agreed in the first place… If I had not accepted that contract… what would have happened to everyone else? That thought … still haunts me today. Ayumi might say that I have a choice… but if I had not accepted it, would that choice be given to me? Would I have done… all of this willingly again?'

He asked the younger devil who looked a little perplexed at the question before smiling and telling him that it didn't matter at all, causing Keima to blink at her in surprise as it was almost the same answer that he had given Ayumi.

'Kami-Onii-sama… I know that Kami-Onii-sama might not have initially accepted me… and it might have changed a lot if you hadn't accepted me or the contract… but I'm sure that you would have turned out the same and would have saved everyone~! Because, Kami-Onii-sama, you are the only person that could have saved them. That is the truth! Kami-Onii-sama is Kami-sama, desho?'

Smiling happily and confidently at Keima, Elsi was scandalized when Keima started laughing again and for the first time Elsi could remember, he was actually clutching his stomach in pain at how hard he was laughing.

'Kami-Onii-sama? Kami-sama?'

..

It was ridiculous that it was Elsi of all people to tell him that it had a sort of poetic justice to it. Being the only person so far that had consistently and without fail, called him a God, perhaps this demon girl was the only reason that he was able to keep at it for so long. Was it because of how pathetic she was? Or perhaps it was her blind faith in him? Keima wasn't sure but he could use some of that enthusiasm to get him through this day where he had failed spectacularly.

Tomorrow was another day after all and so, there were still chances for him to make amendments. Not to mention how there were still a few small pieces that fit in.

Those pieces, they belonged to Kasuga Kusonoki and, of course, Kureha Haruka. This capture wasn't over just yet. Not when he finally could see a larger piece of the chessboard that had been covered by the mist of uncertainty before.

'You're right… I am the only person that can save them, aren't I?'

'Mm! Everyone knows that, Kami-Onii-sama~"

Looking at him proudly as he did cheer up quite a bit, Elsi blushed when Keima reached out to ruffle her head even as he commented that he couldn't really do without her by his side after all.

'You're really the preferred partner when all things considered…'

It was a praise that she didn't really get before and she smiled happily before saying shyly that she'll do her best for tomorrow as well.

'Kami-Onii-sama we'll be looking for Kasuga-sempai tomorrow first desho?'

'Correct… we'll have to hear her side of the story before we advance the storyline again… this has dragged on for too long…'

Taking his glasses off, Keima was surprised by the sharp inhale of breath that Elsi took even as he looked at her in confusion.

'What's wrong?'

'N-No… it's nothing…'

Blushing terribly, Elsi averted her eyes even as Keima cleaned his glasses, her heart beating faster and faster as she took more sneak peeks at his glasses-less face. It was indeed a rare sight; Elsi felt like she was rewarded for her best behavior today and she got even more pumped up today than she was before. After all, Keima just praised her and acknowledge her again!

'That said… I would never buy this game, it looks like the real is more twisted up than before… I had to go on without sufficient information from the start till now… it is ridiculous how this all happened, if I had more to go on…'

'I remember Ayumi-chan saying that the more difficult it is, the more challenging it gets, desho?'

Quipping with an uncertain smile, Elsi breathed in relief as Keima blinked before nodding thoughtfully in agreement.

'Yes, I suppose I should have been too accustomed to seeing things that are presented to me in a silver platter… it has been a while since I had to earn or search for any clues… Hmph, that is something interesting indeed.'

Nodding to himself in agreement, Keima narrowed his eyes before stating that there was no way that Kureha Haruka would get away from his grasp, not when she has caused so many problems for him…

'I was wrong before, but I would not make the same mistake twice… I will not fail!'

..

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**Author's Notes: Tell me what you think about this chapter too. This might be the part where the mood of the story changes yet again.**

**If you haven't given me your thoughts on Rea, tell me about her too! The next chapter would be released in it's normal release schedule, I promise you that!**


	29. It's all figurative

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 29: It's all figurative**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

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**Author's Notes: Thank you ****_AKAAKIRA_**** for the beta edit as always.**

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_It had taken one phone call for everything to come to light and Katsuragi Keima, the __**Capturing God**__found himself a little disgusted at how he could have been swindled like that. Information was power, he knew that and he was aware of that... most humiliating of all was how much he had stressed it to all of the girls that listened to him._

_And now, he was the one that was guilty of misinformation; to be clear, guilty of failing to notice, or perhaps paying attention to, the flow of information around him._

_'… So you have not told Kusonoki ? Not at all? ...Did you ask Kusonoki about it ? She... was the one who told you to ask her? '_

_Kusonoki was a little confused at how Keima's expression could change from impassive to confusion and then to anger at the last moment. It was the first time that any of the 'captured' girls had seen him really mad, the one time he flared up on Chihiro didn't count as it was due to frustration, but this time, he was mad at himself and his eyes darkened considerably after he hung up._

_'Do not worry... I've seen the ending... to think that I would be forced to capture a girl like this...'_

_Looking and sounding disgusted at himself, Katsuragi Keima headed to the vending machine and returned with two cans of drinks. Kusonoki accepted one of them quietly as Keima started on his. She had learnt, with the help of the other girls that it was best not to disturb him when he was thinking. There might be times when this eccentric genius needed prodding or reminders of their presence but there were times when he needed peace as well, time to think and gather his thoughts._

_They were not in school and were instead in the nearby park. Although Keima said that they'll only take a while, Kusonoki knew that the bell was going to ring soon._

_He was a genius, there was no doubt about that and right now Kusonoki knew that he was thinking hard to solve this dilemma of theirs, the girl Kureha Haruka and everything she stood for._

_'I've seen the ending. But I'm loathe to have to 'capture' her.'_

_He finally spoke up and although Kusonoki had the same sentiments, making her feel shocked that she would want something bad to happen to a junior of hers, Kusonoki told him sternly that whether he liked it or not, he would have to do so._

_'Katsuragi... even if I share some of the same sentiments as you, that does not that it is right to ignore a person in need. Especially since you have always been the one who insisted on saving them in the first place, is that not right? You... were always inconsiderate of our feelings, our thoughts about the situation and you kept everything to yourself... you were selfish, but since you were helping someone, we felt that you were justified to do that. So... Katsuragi, if you give up on that one small right that we give you, you would have to answer for the many times that you disregarded our feelings and go off chasing those girls again.'_

_Kusonoki was serious but there was a hint of mischief in her eyes as well as her tone as Keima listened to her. It was unexpected, Kusonoki was encouraging him to help Kureha Haruka? After what that girl did to the two of them? That was just..._

_'The __**real**__is totally worthless... but it seems there are still redeeming values in it... am I not right?'_

_Looking at Kusonoki in resignation, Keima pulled out his cellphone and dialled Elsi's to call her over even as he sat down on the bench again._

_'This'll take a while, are you sure that you want to know the truth, Kusonoki? It is not pretty... the __**real**__is pretty harsh after all.'_

_Kusonoki simply nodded in response to his words; since she has told him of the truth, of what happened between the two of them, she wanted to see the end of all this. Keima was right to say that it started with her and perhaps this would not happened if she had dealt with the situation more calmly._

_'You are not the catalyst for this, Kusonoki, do not be so hard on yourself... you, many before and after you were unable or unwilling to deal with the situation.'_

_'Is... that so?'_

_'Yes, I am not looking forward...to confronting Ikoma Minami about this.'_

* * *

..

..

'…!'

Trying hard to not look too surprised and suppressing a smile when she saw the person that was hanging around outside the classrooms during lunch, to be specific, her classroom, Kureha Haruka looked to the side as she approached, politely excusing herself while picking up and exchanging her shoes.

'…'

As silent as always, Haruka noticed out of the corner of her eye that Katsuragi Keima was indeed looking at her every move and she again smiled inside her in triumph while leaving him behind her. At least, that was the plan till she heard another voice greeting her.

'Katsuragi-sempai!'

It was Ikoma Minami and Haruka flinched when the girl clung onto his hand eagerly. This wasn't supposed to happen! She was the one that was supposed to drive home her advantage and despite herself, and her own promise to keep him at bay at least for a few days, Kureha Haruka reached out to grab his hands as well, shocking Minami as she stared at her.

'Haruka...? W-What are you doing! I was speaking with sempai!'

'Well, I'm talking to sempai now, aren't I, sempai?'

Haruka grinned in victory as Keima sighed briefly before being dragged away by her, leaving Minami looking forlorn and disappointed while she whistled in victory to herself.

'You really dislike Minami... don't you?'

Keeping up a steady pace as Haruka lead Keima up to the rooftop again, Keima's question made her pause before shrugging a little in reply. She wanted to keep her cards in her hands after seeing firsthand what Katsuragi Keima was capable of, as she wanted to make sure that she had him where she wanted him. On a leash, if that was possible~

'I don't, Katsuragi-sempai! I like her as well~ But I like Katsuragi-sempai even more~~ Katsuragi-sempai apologized to me the day before neh? I... I admit that I'm still a little upset that you listened and believed Ikoma at first! She'll do anything and everything to get you to like her! Katsuragi-sempai likes her a little too, neh?'

Looking happy and optimistic at how he was following her now even if she wasn't leading him, Haruka called it a victory but even she felt that it was a little forced as she had been ignoring him the day before, something she'll have to cover up before he noticed something odd.

'But Katsuragi-sempai, I was really, really mad at you yesterday... so that's why I didn't want to talk to you at all... but... but Katsuragi-sempai apologized to me yesterday, desho? So... So I'll forgive you! But only if you spend the day with me! Okay? Just the two of us!'

Smiling and beaming at him, Haruka hugged him when he sighed and nodded his head in agreement to her.

'YAAAY! Thank you, Katsuragi-sempai! I'll tell you everything after this! I promise you!'

It was almost insulting to him that Kureha Haruka even considered the fact that he would be led on by him, so enthusiastic as well as likeable as she continued to shameless flirt with him, trying to get him to talk while she tittered on about nothing in particular.

About how the day was, how everything seemed to be a bed of roses for Kureha Haruka.

It almost seemed like she was gloating, almost, if Keima didn't know better he was almost sure that she was gloating at him.

Or was she really?

At that point of time, Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** really didn't know.

Who exactly was Kureha Haruka? And what was this web of deceit that she had manage to form around her without even trying?

–

_One should always be prepared for the unexpected. that was something that Keima had told himself and the girls for a very long time, repeatedly even, but he was caught flat-footed the moment that he tried to clarify the situation with Kasuga Kusonoki earlier on in the day._

_She had seemed troubled the moment she spotted Keima waiting for her outside of her estate and her dojo and although she tried her best to hide from him, Kusonoki and Keima was spotted by the students of the dojo and was subsequently 'interrogated' by the lot of them even as Kusonoki tried helplessly to fend them off._

_Ordinarily it was an easy task but today they seemed to never tire as they surrounded the two of them, determined to know more about the boy that their master had brought into the dojo. Sure, it was an exaggeration of sorts but Kusonoki hadn't been able to rebut their claims and could only helplessly watch as they gathered, threatened and generally tried to intimidate Katsuragi Keima into giving up hope of going out with Kusonoki._

_Kusonoki admitted that she had hoped that Keima would stay his ground and just as she hoped, Keima did hold his ground without saying much and being very tight-lipped about how the two of them met and what they were doing together._

_Eventually the whole lot of them were repealed by Kusonoki and the two of them headed to school today. Funny how nervous she was being alone with Keima. Ordinarily it wouldn't be embarrassing to be seen with him but as everyone around this particular part of the neighbourhood knew and recognized Kusonoki, she found herself very conscious of her own looks and behaviour and tried her best to emulate Minami and how she carried herself. She thought that Minami was a good role model to how a 'normal high school girl' was but it seemed that Keima could see through her actions as usual and told her not do to anything to change her behaviour._

_'You are who you are. I do not expect you to change yourself to suit my or anyone else's tastes. You have to be truthful to yourself...'_

_Kusonoki wanted to retort at Keima, telling him that he was the one who started it, but in hindsight, everything he had done or shown were parts of his personality. Or at least, she hoped that they were part of his personality as he might be acting and delivering the lines from games like Aoba said he was._

_He might be an actor and a very bad actor but Kusonoki and most of the girls agreed that deep down inside, in a forgotten and perhaps isolated part of his being, lies the person that had 'captured' them and made them fall in love with him. They might never know when he was sincere and when he wasn't but he had never gone back on his words or his promises._

_'I understand... but in return, you too have to be frank with me and be truthful to yourself.'_

_'I always am, Kusonoki. I never do anything that I will regret. Yes, there might be times that I wish I have save file for the __**real**__but that is expecting too much out of it. Every and any decision that I made is something that I will abide with and will not change as it was made and decided with what I know of the situation, every bit and piece of information that I could gather would have to be calculated and accounted for... that is why I never regret...'_

_Kusonoki did not know why she felt that way but he seemed a little evasive as he answered her and as it was in contrast to his normally confident answer. She called him out on that but, to her surprise, he didn't flinch and said that was the truth to her. If he was really lying about having no regrets, Kusonoki felt that it was okay anyways as it was normal and natural for anyone to have some regrets, even if Kusonoki wanted to know what he was regretful for._

..

..

_They spoke about nothing in particular, their conversation topics mostly centred and revolving around Kusonoki and she ended up telling him about the men and her students in the dojo. Those individuals were Kusonoki's pride as well as pain due to how they obsessed over her. She might be inheriting the dojo and might be more skilled in the martial arts than them but that didn't mean that they have to exaggerate and to report to her about everything and anything._

_But like how Keima mentioned to her, all of them meant well for her and wanted to do their best to make sure that she was happy and proud of them as well._

_'One could call them your extended family. A family shares both happiness and sorrow together, they show concern for each member of the party and most importantly, they defend each other. As they defend you and look out for you more vigorously than they would for themselves as they ran the risk of being hurt by you, I can rightfully say that all of them are your family.'_

_'Family? I guess in a way they are.'_

_Kusonoki hadn't really thought about it much, as it seemed natural for her to have those men eat together, rest together, and train together after school and generally being around. It had became quite normal for her. No, it was the norm for her to have those men cleaning the dojo, getting up early to do some light exercises as well as watching them laugh and watch TV together after dinner. It was part of her life and she nodded in agreement with Keima._

_As they neared the school though, conversation had all but dried up and Kusonoki sensed that Keima was finally going to tell her the reason for him meeting her here. It was saddening but Kusonoki knew that he wouldn't be here if he hadn't a reason to be here, she was satisfied, not happy, mind you, that Keima had given her the opportunity to walk with him for a while like a normal girl. _

_Her feminine side would approve of what she has done together with Keima and although it was a little rough at the edges since she wasn't used to holding and starting a conversation, Kusonoki felt that she had made some progress as well in that front._

_'The issue at hand here... is that you kept it from me. Your relationship with Kureha Haruka isn't as simple as it seems from the outside... is it not?'_

_Kusonoki inhaled sharply, something she was sure that Keima noticed or was looking for and she knew there was no helping it then. If he had dug so deep and had taken the time to be as discreet as this, thus saving her some face, Kusonoki wasn't going to let his little bit of goodwill down._

_That said, she was amazed at how fast he was able to come to this conclusion or at least, this suspicion but before she could say more, Keima added that Minami had nothing to do with it at all._

_.._

_'I would have come to the same conclusion whether or not I've enlisted her help, please do not be mad at her.'_

_Kusonoki was getting a little mad but it was not for the reason that Keima was raising, no, she was mad at how he was covering for Minami even at this situation. How much further was he going to look after that younger girl? It was in plain sight to the girls that Keima was a little biased when it came to Ikoma Minami and Nakagawa Kanon. The latter was understandable as she was one of the girls that had constantly expressed her affection towards him and for the most part, Keima seemed accepting of her advances... much to some of the girls' bitterness. Love was war after all but it hurt still, Kusonoki admitted that._

_The former though was just plain unfair, there was no reason why Katsuragi Keima favoured the younger girl. Perhaps he had a thing for younger girls, that was what Kusonoki thought on one of her darker moods, but in general, Kusonoki hoped that he was sheltering her due to her age. Just because he was a gentleman... at least, on better days like this._

_'Of course, I am not showing favouritism... she would no doubt be guilty and upset at letting the cat out of the bag but I was the one who had confronted to her about it.'_

_Looking at Kusonoki evenly, the older girl sensed that he was trying to get her to forgive Minami too and she nodded her head in agreement. It wasn't her fault that this happened, no it had to do with Kureha Haruka._

_'It was supposed to be between the two of us... but she dragged Minami into it as well... that was my first mistake... I wanted to protect her from her influences and thus I told her to...'_

_Kusonoki was cut off when Keima stopped in his tracks, his hand gripping Kusonoki's shoulders tightly as though she had said something wrong._

_'Protect? Why would she need protection from Kureha Haruka?'_

_He narrowed his eyes before pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose and contemplating for a moment even as Kusonoki asked him what was wrong. He knew what had gone between the two of them, hadn't he? So why was he looking a little disturbed and jumpy?_

_'… I might be thinking too much... but I have a bad feeling about this... Kusonoki, tell me your version of the story... and I'll tell you Minami's and of course... my version that I had built up in Kureha Haruka's view.'_

_'Yes, of course...'_

_Kusonoki didn't know it then but when they were done, she would look back in time and think how foolish she was. Everything was never as simple as it seemed, a fact that was rammed home by Katsuragi Keima as he related their stories to her._

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It wasn't her first date, no, it was just one of many dates that Kureha Haruka had been to in the past but it was certainly her most nervous one as she found herself fidgeting to herself in class, unable to concentrate on anything at all as she tried hard not to think about the upcoming 'date' together with Katsuragi Keima that she had persuaded him to go with her.

No, it wasn't a date, it wasn't a date as it was a part of her ploy to finally let Katsuragi Keima see a new side of herself. He had seen a new side of herself alright, a side of her that she didn't want him to see as she didn't want him to get too cocky about himself.

He was a tough customer alright but like what she had promised at the start, Kureha Haruka wanted Katsuragi Keima for herself. As to what reason was she trying so hard, she wasn't going to tell anyone yet.

'Kureha, are you paying attention to me?'

Hearing her teacher call her name, Kureha Haruka nodded and absent-mindedly answered the teacher's question without any hesitation. She thought that she'd understand the genius of High School, Katsuragi Keima as she was a genius in her own right as well. She didn't score top marks but she knew that if she wanted to, it was certainly possible as she was the top student in her second year.

Now that she was in the third year... she didn't know what else she could become as she was too late to run for student council president, it was a shame really that she couldn't do that as she was confident that she would be a very good student president as well!

Yes, Kureha Haruka was an individual who had not tasted defeat in any instance, every single thing that happened to her was due to her own actions or her influence... everything, except for that one time when she had screwed up.

'… I...'

She couldn't forget about it no matter how she tried to and although it seemed that almost everyone has moved on from that incident, Kureha Haruka hadn't been one of them.

She had probably done wrong that day... that was true, but it wasn't... totally her fault that it happened! She refused to believe that it was her fault and she wanted to prove that she was right, that she was better... than her.. she can't fail, not now, not again when she was so close, so close to what she finally wanted to do two years ago!

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**Author's Notes: None this time.**


	30. Main Character!

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 30: Main Character?!**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

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**Author's Notes: Again, thank you ****_AKAAKIRA _****especially for this arc. The beta you did really helped me out.**

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_'She lied to you, Minami.'_

_Sitting together with Ikoma Minami as well as Kasuga Kusonoki, Keima turned to look at Fuse Aoba who was eating lunch quietly together with the other girls, Yoshino Asami and surprisingly, Shiomiya Shiori. Keima didn't seem to mind having an audience as he started to explain the 'ending' that he had seen until Kusonoki raised her hand and said that she would appreciate it if Aoba and the others didn't listen in as well._

_'I understand that it is something personal between me and Kureha... if that is so, I would wish it to remain private... I do not mind Minami present as she was one of the persons that were involved but it... would mean a lot to me if...'_

_Casting furtive glances at the other girls, who nodded and moved away from them, Keima apologized to them again even as Elsi and Haqua joined them as well, Keima explaining to Kusonoki that Haqua and Elsi needed to know._

_'They are my partners in this line of work, Kusonoki, I hope you can understand that... they'll be professional about it.'_

_Closing one eye as Haqua reassured her while Elsi made a pinky swear with Kusonoki, Keima started again by telling Minami what Kusonoki told him what happened three years ago._

_'The situation was similar to what you described; Kureha Haruka had joined the female karate club in the High School Section. Unlike what it is like currently, they were quite a popular club as the girls wanted to learn to defend themselves and the club was happy to provide the members with that. We all know that Kusonoki here wasn't satisfied with just the basics though but I'm sure that they learnt a lot from your presence there.'_

_Looking at Kusonoki, who nodded as well and spoke of the club when she was in her first year._

_'As I was a first year student, I had no say in how the club was run and although I admitted that I was not impressed, nor satisfied by their training regimes, I liked the atmosphere there at the club. The seniors were not very skilled, none of them had achieved the same level in martial arts that I did but they were very enthusiastic and eager to teach the juniors. Even if they had nothing to teach me, they enjoyed learning from me as well... It was a fun club to be in.'_

_It was the polar opposite of what the club was now and Kusonoki did seem very wistful even as she related the past to the two of them._

_'That all changed when Kureha Haruka joined the club... yes, she was perhaps the best novice I've ever seen... she was a talented individual, that was sure, and she was hard working too, which meant that she was a very fast learner... I thought I had found the perfect person to serve as my student as she seemed to get along with everyone and anyone inside the club, whether it was the teacher in charge or the juniors that had joined the club before her. She was a rare talent that one can only find once in a decade, there was no wonder why the seniors asked for special permission to let her join the club and picking her as a candidate to the regional tournament that was held that year.'_

_'She is a talented individual, that I can assure you... but as to whether she mind and heart are in the right place to pursue a career in sports, I'm sure that you have the answer.'_

_Looking at Kusonoki, who nodded in resignation, Keima reached out to hold Minami's hands, causing the younger girl to widen her eyes in surprise at the gesture. She certainly didn't expect that to happen and Minami tried looking at Keima for a hint of what was going on, only to find none as Kusonoki continued with an apologetic tone, her eyes looking down unhappily while confessing to Minami._

_'I... admit that I was wrong in asking you to tell the girls that... but I was wary after that incident... yes, perhaps Kureha Haruka was the individual that made me distrust people other than myself... it was a defensive measure of sorts but I now know that it was wrong... hence, I was worried that it would happen to you, Minami... and yet, at the same time I hoped and prayed that she had learnt her lesson and is not up to her old tricks...'_

_'Old... tricks? Sempai, I don't quite get the both of you... is Haruka... the bad person here?'_

_'Bad? Not exactly... but she certainly isn't a nice individual at all, Minami. After all, she was the person that had us running around in circles... She is a master manipulator and a very good actor and liar, one that fooled even me... I would never have considered the fact that she was lying not only to you but was manipulating my own actions as well. It wasn't till I listened to Kusonoki's did I begin to have a better understanding of her personality. Well... right now I can say that she is just a self-centred and selfish individual whose actions would profoundly affected everyone around them for better or worse. What I am unsure of was whether she herself was aware of those implications.'_

_'H-How could you say that about Haruka...'_

_Looking quite upset at the declaration from Katsuragi Keima, Ikoma Minami was about to say something more when Elsi defended Keima._

_'If Kami-Onii-sama says she is, than she is, Minami-chan... everyone has their bad sides as well. No one is perfect! That's what Kami-Onii-sama always says to me!'_

_'That's right, no one is perfect in the inside and Haruka, although a very nice individual in the outside, is quite the manipulator as she could always further her own motive with the help of others, possibly through some well chosen words as well as some well placed lies. Yes, she has never hurt anyone, at least not directly, and that is why it is so hard to catch her red handed in her acts. She is not known as the 'Flame of Mai-High' for nothing as she has a wide range of contacts and friends she could probably rely on in times of need and yet, how many of them were forced, however unknowingly, into that position...?'_

_'W-Will someone please tell me what sempai means? I... I don't get it!'_

_Getting quite worked up and not to mention very flustered, Ikoma Minami was looking in frustration at Keima and Kusonoki and even Haqua seemed a little cross at the development, reaching out to pet her on the shoulder while explaining that it was usual for Keima to do that._

..

_'Kusonoki, please continue...'_

_'Yes. I... did not see it coming but all of a sudden the members in the club started leaving or quitting right around the time for the Regional Tournament. I didn't know what or why anything would cause so many members leaving... until I heard from one of the seniors that the members had been leaving after losing their bouts with Haruka. It was ridiculous to believe but she... wanted them to quit the club if they lost to her.'_

_Lowering her eyes as she said that, Kusonoki wasn't surprised when Minami said that was impossible but Kusonoki shook her head and said that was true._

_'There was no doubt that she was saying exactly that when she proposed the matches. As she was talented as well as skilled due to my coaching, she was much better than most of the seniors and many of them chose to leave after losing to her in full view of her friends. Most left the club entirely, shamed as they were.'_

_'I...I still don't understand.'_

_'She forced them into an ultimatum. She told them to prove they were worthy of their positions...or leave them. I...I never could decide if I should...blame their gullibility or praise their competitiveness. Pride is a horrible thing... why did they have to make it so easy for her to push them out and pinning the blame on them at the same time?'_

_'But how were they pushed out at all? I don't understand! Haruka can't do that. Haruka was a junior high first-year! Why would your sempais ever take her seriously?'_

_'Because she used ME!'_

_Minami grew silent as Kusonoki lashed out without warning and her grip on the table got stronger, visibly trying hard to keep her anger in check before bowing her head in shame._

_'I only found out...much later. To force them to have a serious match with her...Haruka told my seniors that I had grown tired of their incompetence. She told them that I, Kasuga Kusonoki, had ordered a bout with our youngest member to determine their eligibility for the tournament...and the club. I didn't know I carried so much weight then nor did I even wanted it but she took it away from me. A case of the fox stealing the lion's mane indeed.'_

_It was a bombshell to Minami and even though she said that was impossible again, Kusonoki's story was backed up by Keima this time.'_

_'I checked the records, there was a large number of members who left the club during the period that Kusonoki was talking about... there was a noticeable drop in attendance as well.'_

_'… I guess the members didn't want to be involved and as it happened so quickly and without me noticing, I... was the last member left in the original team before I realized it. All of the other seniors had left the club. That was when I knew...'_

_Narrowing her eyes as she recalled what had happened then, Kasuga Kusonoki sighed deeply before telling all that was present that Kureha Haruka was after her._

_It was exactly like what Keima had expected and he pushed his glasses up before elaborating, not really enjoying the moment but simply making his point._

_'To be exact, she wants to be the very best in whatever she is obsessed or interested in at the moment. Being the top student of the second year was her goal last year; before that, her first year goal was to be the best athlete that was recognized by the school in the year. You were the Top athlete in Junior high, right, Kusonoki?'_

_'Yes, that was probably why she came after me instead... she probably had something to prove but even if she didn't, she was there in the dojo, challenging me to a duel in front my father together with her friends in the club. W... Would you fault me if I did not back down?'_

_Looking at Minami as well as Keima, Kusonoki blinked when Haqua was the one who replied her with a stern look on her face._

_'You did what you have to do, Kusonoki-san. There is no fault in regretting now... Kureha Haruka was the individual who had destroyed the club that you held dear... and so it is natural that you accepted her challenge.'_

_There was a brief silence as Kusonoki nodded in thanks, gathering her thoughts again before Minami interrupted them again._

_'T-Then don't tell me... did sempai lose to Haruka?'_

_'I didn't... I suffered some injuries as I didn't wish to go all out against her but she was skilled, much more than I had imagined and I was forced to deal a decisive blow... what was... worse was her friends all crowded around her and cried I was the one using dirty tricks when they couldn't even follow our fight... Even now, most of them wouldn't even want to talk to me... my own classmates as well as some of the coaches still..._

_Looking quite upset, Keima knew that Kusonoki wasn't a very violent person by nature despite her skills and this was perhaps the first time that she had ever injured another person. The more skilled a person was, the more control they would have over their chosen sport or skill but when two masters engage, the consequences would be disastrous as they would be forced to do their best rather than hold back. That was probably what happened to Kusonoki and Haruka._

_'I fractured a few ribs and had to be admitted to the hospital for a while... but Haruka she suffered much more injuries as compared to me... that was why she wasn't able to attend school for a few months. I only found out that our little bout had became one of the stories surrounding her but it was too late, the school wasn't happy with what happened in the Female Karate Club and most of the seniors were expelled... and as I wasn't good with people then... it got worse after the incident with Haruka, the club ended up like what you see now.'_

..

_Finally finishing her story, Keima watched Minami for her reaction and he was ready to hold her back if she said Kusonoki was lying but she surprised everyone and overcame all odds to just ask her quietly if she was saying the truth._

_'Is that the truth sempai? Is that... really what happened? Sempai isn't lying to me, right?'_

_Kusonoki shook her head and told Minami that was indeed the whole truth and the true story of what happened from a person that was there._

_'Minami would have to decide whether she believes me or not as all of my seniors have left the school... But you'll have to believe me, Minami... Kureha Haruka... she...'_

_'Isn't a good person... neh?'_

_Looking down, Minami seems to be taking the news rather well but Keima and Kusonoki knew that it was hard to stomach nonetheless. She was not an innocent girl but a very trusting one and she must have felt hurt that someone like Haruka, who was a great influence to her was like that. _

_Of course, she had only their word for it that this was the truth but she knew that it had to be the truth as Keima had promised her that he'll be frank and truthful for whatever he has to do in order to finish his new 'assignment'._

_That didn't make the news any less hurtful though and Minami took several deep breaths before shaking her head sadly._

_'I... still can't believe it... but I have to... right? Katsuragi-sempai... doesn't lie to me about this... and I know that Kusonoki-sempai wouldn't do that to me too... So... so I have to believe you, believe that Haruka... isn't a nice person...'_

_Minami started to cry at the end of her sentence and she was quickly comforted by Kusonoki, who reached out to hug her even as Keima averted his eyes. To have one's hero desecrated like that was surely painful._

..

_'Katsuragi Keima...'_

_Hearing his name being hissed out by the girls that were having lunch at the corner, Keima shook his head when Aoba made a gesture of slicing his neck while Shiori simply looked on sympathetically at Kusonoki and Minami. She had been through a lot when it was her time to assist Keima in a capture, in her case the capture of Konoe Rea, and it too had driven her to tears at some points. Not that Keima really wanted it to happen but at times, the final result warranted some sacrifices to be made, even if they were only made temporarily._

_'Keima-san, it is not good to make others cry.'_

_Reminding him patiently but still looking reasonably upset, Yoshino Asami smiled a little as Haqua smacked him on the back of his head even as he tried to explain that it was not he who had made the girls cry. Indeed, it was Kureha Haruka who had done most of the damage as she had lied to Minami all this time, feeding her that misinformation and making sure that she misunderstood the two of them._

* * *

..

_'So why was Haruka trying to get close to you, sempai?'_

_Recovering and getting a hold of herself at long last, Minami asked Keima even as Kusonoki looked at him curiously as well as he had not explained what Kureha Haruka wanted from her.._

_'This is just a hypothesis that I have at the moment... from the character setup as well as the plot that has been expanding and developing behind our backs... there are approximately around 17 different possibilities that match Haruka's personality. However, almost all of them hinge on the same premise... if only I could see the 'events' behind the scenes as well... Still, if I had been running around trying to spot the events, would I have known earlier? The encounter with Kusonoki outside of her classroom was the most important hint so far but...'_

_While Keima mumbled and grumbled to himself as he lamented on how unfair the __**real **__was and how he had so many difficulties, Kusonoki and Minami looked at Elsi for advice and was greeted with an apologetic bow._

_'Kami-Onii-sama always does that while trying to explain himself... he will say the shorter version in a moment after he clears his thoughts.'_

_Elsi smiling as she just nodded and replied to Keima's rant without really listening to him. Minami and Kusonoki exchanged looks with Haqua, who gave a long-suffering sigh as she lamented that despite his eccentricity, he was still the best capturer of Weiss so far._

_'If not... I don't even want to spend time with him.'_

_Haqua remarked softly but turned red when Minami said that wasn't true._

_'I'm... sure that Haqua-san likes to spend time with Katsuragi-sempai as well... he might be odd... but that's why he's special, neh?'_

_This was enough to make them cheer up a little as they just watched Elsi placate and coax Keima to stop ranting again, making him clear his throat and look at all of them before giving his shorter version like Elsi promised._

..

_'She wanted to use me as a means to get back to you, Kusonoki. To put it simply and bluntly, she wants to obtain me as a trophy to flaunt in front of you. She first attempted to get Minami on her side, perhaps poisoning her opinion of you and turning her against you in the end. Thankfully Minami wasn't affected by her words, should we call it a blessing? She really likes you, Kusonoki, in case you didn't notice.'_

_Pointing that fact out to Kusonoki, who nodded while holding Minami's hands, Keima saw that the younger girl's face was burning red in embarrassment at being mentioned like that. Still, Minami simply nodded in affirmation to Keima's words._

_'… Haruka she... said things about Kusonoki-sempai that I didn't agree with and she did seem a bit off then...'_

_'The most obvious one would be her version of the story of what happened between the two of them. As she was one of the people that were directly involved, I'm glad that you didn't accept her version immediately.'_

_Keima coughed a little awkwardly when Minami remarked that it was due to Keima that she became just a little paranoid._

_'After all... Katsuragi-sempai has been lying to all of us for a long time too, neh?'_

_Gaining support from Kusonoki as well as being deserted by Elsi and Haqua, who simply shook their heads at him, Keima rallied on by pointing a finger at Kusonoki and getting her attention._

_'That is her reason for approaching me. If she could make me, someone one that you show affection for, fall in love with her, she would have finally 'gotten' one back from you. That incident was probably her only failure so far... well, that and losing her spot on the swimming team... I think she was just upset that she lost to a backup swimmer before she got possessed by the Weiss... but now that all the cards in hand, it's finally time.'_

_Hopefully the Weiss wouldn't show it's power like it did the last time!_

* * *

..  
..

'So Katsuragi-sempai~ What do you like most in a girl?'

'…'

'Katsuragi-sempai~ I wanna know~ please~'

Haruka wasn't making as good as a progress as she would like and although she claimed a victory against Ikoma by stealing him away, not to mention persuading him to listen to her story, in that Kasuga Kusonoki had been the one who had injured her during her little 'spar' with her a few years ago.

'She was the one who was upset... it wasn't my fault that I learn faster than her... she was just jealous of my ability to be better than her! Even though I was only in junior high, I was going to be picked for the regional tournament for that year! The entire club supported me to after I won all of the practise bouts while choosing the participants.'

She **had** gotten injured over that little spar the two of them had but the situation wasn't exactly like what she said it was, well, it was mostly accurate so it's fine~!

'Then she had gotten all worked up and challenged me to a spar in front of her father! She won of course... who wouldn't when she was playing dirty... They are just playing favourites as they can't understand how I am able to be the best! Katsuragi-sempai would understand desho? After all, Katsuragi-sempai is the smartest of the entire 2nd year! You're a genius just like me! You would understand, right, right?'

Heaping praise on him hadn't worked so well as he had maintained a passive and quiet outlook to her advances but she knew that she should take her victories one step at a time. He was someone that she wanted to be by her side, if that was possible at all.

'Stubborn girls do irritate me... I'll give you that.'

Answering at long last, Haruka was a little taken aback at how blunt he was but she took it in her stride while nodding thoughtfully as the two of them sat together during one of the breaks.

'But that doesn't mean that Katsuragi-sempai dislikes me, does it?'

Haruka gave a sigh of relief when she saw that he simply shrugged and she took it as a sign of acceptance of her presence here.

'Neh, Katsuragi-sempai... do you believe me then?'

'… We'll see...'

Shrugging, he went back to his games again while Haruka just pouted beside him, trying to use her looks to win him over. It was not working though and she wasn't surprised by that... by digging further into the mystery that was Katsuragi Keima, it was plainly obvious that if looks really mattered to him, he would have his choice of girls dying to go out with him.

In a way, the only truth that she had told him was that she really, really wanted him for herself.

With that... she could finally, finally claim victory and sweet vengeance over the person who had made her lose so much face.

'What would you give me in exchange if I said I would?'

As she was off in her own thoughts, his words were **almost** lost in the air but when she realized what he was saying, Haruka sat upright to stare at Katsuragi Keima without his glasses as he cleaned them with a handkerchief.

There were no other words to describe him, he was ravishing and handsome and when he turned to look at her, the small teasing smile that he gave her was enough to make her swoon.

Almost, almost! But it was true that her heart was beating faster than ever before when he stroked her chin lightly with one hand.

'So... what would it be, Haruka-chan?'

It was totally out of character for him but Kureha Haruka didn't quite mind as her mind was in a daze right now. Was this why Ikoma Minami and all of the other girls were so captivated by him? It was totally unlike the cold and mean demeanour he had given her the past few days.

He really, really looked like a prince when he felt like it!

'A-Ah... Ano... W-Well... I-I guess we-we can.. Ah-Ah, I'll think of something later!'

He seemed amused and that made Haruka flare up a little, she was supposed to be the one that was leading him, not the other way around! What was it with this role reversal?!

* * *

**Author's Notes: Even if I might dislike Haruka as a person, I still love her as my second OC~**


	31. Split Paths

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 31: Split Paths**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, ****_AKAAKira_**** for the beta-edit as always. Been busy lately but I admit it's because I'm still reading ****_In Flight_**** by gabriel blessing... can I ever match that standard?**

* * *

**..**

..

'Katsuragi-sempai!'

As Haruka waved at him energetically as he left his classroom, Keima wasn't surprised to see that she was back to her normal, energetic and clingy self.

Although it was fortunate that he had spoken to some of the girls, especially Yoshino Asami about what was going on, he noticed that quite a number of boys were shooting death glares at his general direction as Kureha Haruka ran up to hold his hand tightly wih hers. She upped the ante by wrapping his hand around his arm before tugging him along.

'I didn't think you would be this excited for this. Although I did say that...'

'You would believe me after this right?'

'… What if I said it was just a ruse to get you to go on a date with me?'

Muttering softly even while his mouth curled up into a smile, Keima knew that he scored one against Haruka as the girl wavered a bit before shaking her head in reply.

'Don't worry, I know that sempai would believe me in the end! So let's go!'

Pulling him, Haruka and Keima set off for their first date together while the entire class, most of it anyway, stared at the impossible sight. No, not impossible. It had started quite a while back when Yoshino Asami finally got the courage to walk him back to school that fateful day. As impossible as it seems, it appears that 'spring' has came for Katsuragi Keima as well!

But before any of the girls could question Yoshino Asami, she had left together with Takahara Ayumi and Kosaka Chihiro, the three girls sharing a surprisingly calm exterior as they followed the exact opposite path from where Haruka had dragged Kema with.

It was a confusing, not to mention surprisingly tense moment in the class when the five of them left the vicinity of the classroom.

The energy of Kureha Haruka was matched equally with the steaming discontent from the other three girls and when they were gone, everyone present let go of the breath that they were all holding unconsciously.

'Neh... it's going to get interesting, isn't it, Elly?'

A friend of hers in class asked Elsi even as she was still packing her bag and the younger demon simply nodded with a small smile.

'I... guess so... It'll going to be hard on Kami-Onii-sama... for a few more days at least.'

Looking extremely thoughtful as she looked at the direction that Keima and Haruka had left, Elsi bowed in apology as she tried hard to catch up with the other three girls, calling them even as she stumbled on.

'Chihiro! Ayumi! Geez!'

..

'So where should we go today?'

Looking at her in question as they left the school, Keima nodded as Kureha said that they were going shopping today!

'Is that bad, sempai? But sempai didn't tell me that I couldn't do what I want neh? So I want sempai to go with me on a shopping date! That's my gift to sempai for believing me!'

Although that wasn't exactly right, even Haruka knew that she was forcing him to go on a date with her instead of it being a 'gift' and Keima did have the right to leave right now...

'I'm not paying for you though.'

Keima said so curtly even as Haruka gawked at him while he walked on, causing her to be dragged along instead before she regained her senses.

'Fuufuu~ Of course, sempai! I won't ask sempai to get me something! I'll get sempai something as well! So look forward to it!'

Pointing a finger at Keima, Haruka inhaled deeply when Keima pushed that finger down before remarking that she doesn't know when to give up.

'Why... are you so interested in me... why does it matter if I believe you, Haruka... does it really matter so much to you?'

The question was well posed to her and although the answer was obvious to her, she had to struggle a little before she said so to him.

'Because... well, because Katsuragi-sempai is special... he **is** special to... many people...'

So she didn't have the courage to say that he was special to her as well? That fact was duly noted by the **Capturing God**, Katsuragi Keima as she fidgeted a little while regaining the initiative from him, tugging him along towards the shopping district.

* * *

..

..

_'I hate the __**real**__...'_

_He had muttered suddenly during the middle of one of the breaks they had in class after lunch. Elsi asked him what made him say that and Keima pointed to the clock that was hanging in the classroom._

_'…Although it is true that I've seen the ending and yes, I know what I should do to __**capture **__Kureha Haruka... it is something that I loathe to do after all. Why is there such an unreasonable thing as time in the __**real?**__!'_

_Ah, so that... no, Elsi didn't get it all._

_'Kami-Onii-sama... time is universal desho? Even Kami-Onii-sama is affected by it when he plays his games neh?'_

_Looking politely confused as well as trying to gain more from him, Elsi baulked a little when Keima pointed at the L1 button on his PFP, causing her to look at him in confusion._

_'This is the skip function in the game... why is there not a skip function in the __**real**__as well? Although it is true that the skip function is a function I rarely ever use...'_

_It was true, Elsi never once saw him pressing that button even once. Keima continued while Elsi nodded, trying to placate him before he got too hysterical or emotional again._

_'In the __**world**__, all that is needed is the necessary cut scenes... we don't need the interludes like what lessons we are taking, the queuing up during lunch hours or the walking between locations!'_

_Looking disgusted at the __**real**__, Keima was taken aback as Elis simply smiled, laughed, and shook her head at his explanation before she told him softly and quietly._

_'Kami-Onii-sama... you're wrong.'_

_'Explain yourself, Elsi.'_

_'Kami-Onii-sama is the person that taught Elsi that those times are the most important times... if not for the time that we walked home together, Kami-Onii-sama wouldn't be able to talk to Elsi, would you? And if not for the lessons that we are taking, Kami-Onii-sama wouldn't be in school neh? Kami-Onii-sama says that everything happens for a reason~ But Kami-Onii-sama forgets that it is because of these things... that you can value and get to the important things that you are looking for neh?'_

_She was right, not for the first time too, and Elsi blushed when Keima reached out to pinch her cheeks teasingly._

_'… You're unexpectedly clever today... what happened, Elsi?'_

_As he looked quite shocked, and he had to be if she was being so... unlike her usual self, Elsi patiently explained that she was his __**sister**__after all._

_'Kami-Onii-sama... teaches me many things... so... if I just think about it slowly, think about what Kami-Onii-sama would say at this time... even I can do it... neh?'_

_'Hmph, that's true... But you have a long way to go, Elsi.'_

_'I know, Kami-Onii-sama~ That's why it's interesting, neh?'_

_'The middle... huh? That's true after all... if everything was an important scene, a cutscene, a flag or a trigger... how else would I be able to see the ending...'_

_Looking quite embarrassed as he had forgotten about the most basic of the basics, the __**Capturing God**__, Katsuragi Keima,buried his face into his hands as he remarked once to Elsi._

_'I really don't like her.'_

_'But Kami-Onii-sama will still save her, neh?'_

_'For it is my duty.'_

_'MM mm~'_

* * *

..

..

Staring in confusion at the name of the shop that Haruka had dragged him into, Keima realized that he was totally out of place in this luxurious boutique. Having decided on their plans for the day, Haruka had dragged Keima into the biggest shopping mall in town.

There, Haruka had pulled Keima from shop to shop while window-shopping. Conversation between the two of them had died down a little and Keima found that his estimation of Haruka's personality was accurate the more one looked at her reaction and treatment of other people.

Despite being the person who had said that he was 'special', here she was, treating him like a common bag carrier. The conversation between the two of them had more or less died down after they entered the mall and it wasn't looking like it was going to be revived soon.

Being a genius, she must be used to being sheltered or treated differently by other people. Especially by members of the opposite sex as if that wasn't stressed before, Kureha Haruka was an individual who was very startling and very impressionable and cute, yes, she was cute.

Not Katsuragi Keima's type though and he was just glad that she was not giving him any trouble when he remained quiet and just nodded to whatever she said.

She must be silly or just plain stupid to think that he would be won over by just looks or words alone, not to mention her lines were terrible, making her quite a terrible 'player character'. Kureha Haruka might be a good liar but as it turns out, he was giving her too much credit by saying that she was a good player character.

In short, exactly the kind of character that he didn't like at all.

..

'Neh, sempai, how does this look?'

Nodding in reply, Keima slowly looked up to see Haruka dressed in an adorable beige denim dress that exposed her right shoulders and subsequently, one of her bra-straps. As it was a little tight on her, something that she specially picked for this occasion to impress/shock Keima with her looks and figure.

'Neh? How does this look?'

Pouting a little at his lack of response, Haruka finally realized that he was probably too stunned to say a word and she turned around and saying that he was a big pervert with a big smile on her face.

'S-Stop looking so closely, Sempai... I... I didn't ask you to look _so_ closely!'

Whining in a high-pitched voice even though what she wanted to do was to giggle at how her 'fanservice shot' was effective, Kureha Haruka naturally didn't see Keima snort softly while shaking his head.

This was too easy... was what the both of them thought at the same time as the 'date' continued.

..

Kureha Haruka was an extremely bad 'player character' like what Keima thought her to be. She had probably never really fallen in love before and whoever had been following her lead before did probably give up after knowing that she wasn't serious about him. This was one part that Keima had sympathy for. Even if he would never admit that he was soft to the girls, he had to admit that Haruka knew exactly what buttons to push to coerce a guy to do her bidding, even if they knew that they were being toyed around with.

What was the only redeeming part about this 'date' was how Keima was able to determine that Kureha Haruka was really a 'player' in the sense of the word.

She really didn't care what others saw or viewed her as long as the target that she was after looked at him in a favorable light. In that sense she was as ruthless as Fuse Aoba, as desperate as... okay, maybe he shouldn't call her that but as willingas Asami perhaps? Although try as he might, Keima couldn't imagine Asami using fanservice to try and seduce him.

That was what Haruka has been trying to do though, switching from dresses to one-piece dresses to pyjamas and finally even swimsuits before she gave up trying. Perhaps the _real_ just worked differently... but he digressed.

Well, she only gave up using clothes on herself at least and instead went about trying to get him to try different outfits for her own eye candy.

Pulling him into a fashionable boutique, Haruka had him try on different looks and outfits for her till she was satisfied. Keima did enjoy that part a little as it was his turn to turn up the charm a little as he followed some of the recommendations that Minami and Kanon had given him the last time he went out with them.

Removing his glasses, Keima marched out with different combinations, with jackets, blazers, with caps or T-shirts and basically wowed Kureha Haruka as well as the saleswoman manning the boutique with the flair that he brought with him while trying those outfits out.

It had gone on for a while till Haruka was close to drooling before he stopped, pulling out the outfit that had gotten the best response from her. So it looked like she was one of those girls who were attracted to looks more than anything else? Well, that was a theory at least and Keima made note of that before asking whether he could change into that outfit when paying for them over the counter.

'Of course sir...'

Still a little starry eyed, the sales attendant told him to change in the changing room again before Haruka rushed forward and asked if she could do the same.

'Please! We're on our first date together and so...'

She looked extremely awkward at admitting that. In fact Keima noted that Haruka was looking extremely embarrassed while she was teased by the attendant. So it has begun has it? The time for her to look at him in a different light?

Although Keima did feel a little short-changed that it was looks that changed everything... but hey, generic tastes were generic after all.

* * *

..

'Ahaha... K-Katsuragi-sempai...'

Looking extremely nervous and feeling the same way too, Haruka Kureha was feeling a little ashamed of herself as well as she was practically drooling at him after he changed clothes. The kicker was when he removed his glasses though and Haruka was greeted with the hottest guy ever! Maybe she was exaggerating, maybe; but he was really very mind-blowing hot in those clothes, and with that arrogant, stuck-up attitude he really looked and felt right as a prince.

It was too late to call it quits though, and although Haruka felt very bad that she was re-evaluating her opinion on him after seeing how hot he was, she tried to justify herself by saying that looks make the persona as well.

She knew that he was quite cute and, if he was serious, did look quite adorable as well but hot? She never once thought that Katsuragi Keima, the otamegane, was someone who could make her admit that.

And it was bad too, as she couldn't help but admit that she was just a little more interested in him after that. It was silly and it was... wrong but suddenly it didn't seem more like revenge now.

She _wanted_ him for herself, as in, really really wanted him for herself now and hopefully she could make him feel the same way about him. Knowing that the other girls had him for themselves for such a long time made her temper blow up without really thinking about it and Haruka growled a little, upset at how such a hot guy could escape her radar.

Now, Haruka wasn't the idol-chasing sort, but Keima was her type!

'What's wrong, Haruka?'

Gods, why was she blushing again when he called her by her name? It wasn't different from what he was doing earlier but she could see that at least he was looking at her straight in the eye now.

He had seemed quite evasive before and this was quite a welcome change from before but... oh, she would die if he could just continue doing just that.

'W-Well, shall we have dinner together, sempai? I... I know it's quite early to say that...'

It was only around 4 pm, just 2 hours after they went out for the date, but Haruka wanted to have him for the evening as well. This was a first for her as well, treating this... like a real date instead of a fake one.

The boys who she had asked out before were... nothing compared to him!

He was really very special! But why was he special? The answer that she had prepared earlier seemed so irrelevant now and she could think of more ways that he was special, starting with how Haruka wanted him to continue treating her like royalty for now and on and on and on.

'If you wish to, why not, ojou-sama?'

Giving her a small bow to highlight his words, Haruka blushed again before taking the offered hand. Was this how Kusonoki and Ikoma fell for him? His charming manner and how he could make the girl feel like a princess for the day? Oh gods, she should stop thinking about this.

Although it was laughable to imagine Kusonoki in that way as she would have to act like a normal girl out on a date, something that Haruka didn't think was possible.

There was no way that stuck up, confident and brash woman could...

..

'What's wrong? You seem to be not here.'

Hearing him call her again, Haruka apologized while hanging her head.

'No... it's nothing, I'm sorry, sempai, I know this is our first date together...'

'You aren't enjoying yourself?'

'No, it's not that! B-But... it's odd...'

Yes, now that she had said that... it was odd... why did he suddenly... get interested in her?

'Why... are you interested in me so suddenly... sempai?'

* * *

**Author's Notes: For Azalea Side, I admit I'm in a bit of a block there.**


	32. Difficult Answers

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 32: Difficult Answers**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Like with AZ, no special X'mas special here as well.**

**Thank you, ****_AKAAKira _****for the support, beta-editing and comments as always. This arc has you to thank.**

* * *

..  
..

So they had reached that moment as well, where the branching part of the route was reached. In a common timeline graph, this was the part where they would be able to split the ending into one or multiple paths.

Well, as the **Capturing God**, Katsuragi Keima knew the importance of this event as the wrong answer would result in him failing to capture Kureha Haruka.

Despite his reservations for this girl, she was the epitome example of a girl that he didn't want to get involved with. Not only was she materialistic, her perception of the world was centred and firmly rooted in her own perspective, something that he thought was flawed..

Like the many times that he had captured girls and with his experience in the **real** as well as in the **world/ideal**, he knew that having such a perspective isolated the person and made them extremely difficult to deal with due to their stubbornness or incapability to be empathetic and to view things in another point of view.

Thankfully he had been able to pull Fuse Aoba from that trap once but this was an exception. He wanted to fail, he did not wish to 'capture' Kureha Haruka. That was not the objective for this 'mission', his objective was to get the Weiss out of her in the fastest and most efficient way.

He had told Shiori and Aoba that capturing was all that he knew and that was the truth. But to say that he can only make girls fall in love with him, that wasn't the whole truth.

Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** was called the Capturing God as he was able to capture the hearts of any girl and in essence, that means that he was entirely capable of breaking the heart of any girl as well.

The only reason he never wanted to do so was that as **God** he wanted to guide the lost sheep to their right places and to set their minds at rest.

Kureha Haruka was the direct opposite of it, he wanted her... to know what her victims felt like in order to chase that Weiss out.

..

'Why... you ask me, huh?'

Taking an adopting another facial expression that looked thoughtful, Keima looked down at the younger girl still clinging on to his arm before replying.

He has accomplished what he wanted to do here, what he had to do for Kureha Haruka for her to actually feel something different about him. Now, he wished he had a little bit of more time to deepen the relationship between the two of them but if he did, the feelings that she would feel would be magnified in the same manner and everyone knows never to scorn a female in love.

But that was exactly what he was going to do right now.

'Isn't that the same thing you did to me earlier?'

The line, uttered heartlessly and coolly, made Kureha Haruka flinch as though she was struck and she released Keima's arm even as he stuck his hand into his pocket, his eyes narrowing quite a bit as Haruka inched away from him, shocked at his reply.

'Why... were you approaching me in the first place, Haruka? You wanted me to believe you instead of Kusonoki, someone who I knew and trusted... for me to believe you, I would have to doubt her... was that what you were after, after all?'

He looked menacing now; Haruka couldn't muster a response as she kept mumbling and repeating that it was not true. But, but, Katsuragi Keima knew that she was lying and even she knew that as the truth was exposed to her in the moment that she thought she might really feel something for him.

He wanted to crush that feeling that she felt but not entirely as he wanted the spark that had caused that special feeling towards him to remain intact in her.

For he needed it; if not, she would not continue following after him even after all this.

'I... could have believed you... if you spoke the truth, Haruka...'

Giving his best impression of a disappointed person to her, Keima wasn't surprised when he felt Haruka tugging and pulling at his arm again. She was always good with lying after all, the most proficient liar that he had met so far and perhaps the best actor as well. He wouldn't have given her that title if she unravelled right now.

'S-So Katsuragi-sempai couldn't believe me in the end? I... I... I admit that... the reasons that I approached you were wrong, sempai. But... but I was desperate! No... No one would-'

'But you still lied to me, Haruka... why? Why wouldn't you just tell me the truth? Are you afraid that I would not accept you for that?'

It was a question that would surely make her confused as if she could tell him the truth, the reason for her approaching him would be voided and nullified at the same time! After all, she only approached him to get back at Kusonoki, if she was able to get over that dislike for Kusonoki, she wouldn't have tried to get close to Keima at all!

But now that she felt something different about him, it all changed... if she had to tell the truth to Keima to be accepted by him... what then? What was her reason to approach him in the first place? Wasn't... it void and null? Why would she have to tell him that in the first place?

'Why... why... would I... need a reason, sempai...'

Croaking out the words suddenly, Keima was taken aback at Haruka crying now, had the seeds of affection that he planted really surge into life so soon? That was certainly something that he didn't expect and his gaze softened a little. Just a little as Keima knew that she was a proficient liar... this could just be an act.

'I... I feel something different for sempai. It's... it was about Kusonoki sempai... It was but... but I don't think it is now... I know it is so... because.. because I don't care any more. I... I can't care, sempai... let's just forget what had happened before this... I, I was being silly and I couldn't think straight... but I can now, I have the answer that you asked me a long time ago.'

'You... don't care?'

Nodding her head as she continued clinging on to his arm and trying to force his hands open for her to hang on to it, literally forcing herself on him. Vaguely aware that they were causing a scene even though he wasn't raising his voice, Keima prayed for backup even as Haruka looked up at him with weird eyes.

Weird eyes as he had seen that look before, the same look that Kanon had a long time ago... but the most chilling and telling sign was of the black miasma that was making itself visible around her form.

The Weiss; it was getting stronger?! But why? And how?! What... what's going on!

..

'Mm mm... I don't care... because Katsuragi sempai... I want you, all of you, every part of you! That's why I don't care for Kusonoki-sempai and Ikoma anymore... sempai... you... I want you... that's why I approached you. Maybe not then, but that's why now. I want you, sempai!'

It was like she was in a trance and Keima came very very close to losing it as he remembered how dangerous yanderes were. Was Kureha Haruka a Yandere? God forbid!

'It's impossible.'

His words, stern and unforgiving shot into Kureha Haruka's mind and this temporarily dispelled the Weiss' influence on her as he eased her off him.

'I... can't tell whether you are lying to me... or not, Haruka...'

Looking extremely disappointed at her as he finally removed her hands from him, Keima took a long look at Kureha Haruka for the dramatic effect and shook his head again.

'… Whether you approached me because of Kusonoki or Ikoma... or anything else... I... it doesn't matter as well.'

Seeing the small spark of hope appear in her eyes, Keima nailed the final nail in the coffin when he elaborated.

'I... can't trust you, Haruka... whatever you say, whatever you do... I don't know if they are real now... Not when you lied to me before... I... I just can't.'

'W-What about you, sempai! Sempai you... h-how long have you known? You were lying to me too! You knew everything and you just continued lying to me too!'

So the pot was calling the kettle black? Well, she does have the right to do so and Keima smiled sadly again while saying that he had known since yesterday.

'It was Kusonoki sempai wasn't it?'

He stayed silent even as Haruka looked panicked, almost feral as she just gritted her teeth sternly, not saying a word till Keima made another attempt to leave.

'So... so was it all a lie? Was it a lie from the start? Today... and yesterday? I... It was just... what was it, sempai? What was it... what... am I worth to you? Am I just...'

Before she could create another scene, they were attracting enough attention already what with the outburst from Haruka earlier.

Not to mention that his backup HADN'T ARRIVED YET! Haqua was so going to get it from him later!

'You're not... but... you... could be more...'

He added some hesitation in his voice before he left Haruka for good, similar to how she had probably left the other boys she 'went' out with.

* * *

..

..

'Isn't... that too cruel, Katsuragi?'

Looking at Keima crossly as she emerged from her hiding spot, Haqua was not expecting Keima to give her an earful when he nagged at her about being her backup.

'… Elsi is doing her job well by keeping the other girls company... what were you doing just then? If someone had interfered then, the whole plan would fall apart.'

He was very cross at Haqua's inability to at least try to cover the two of them up when they were having their argument but Haqua explained, a little sourly as well, that it was a little too late for that.

'People were already looking at the two of you, I couldn't possibly make the two of you disappear into thin air, can I? Besides... I'm sure that you'll be able to deal with the situation even if someone interrupted you...'

Her explanation appeased Keima somewhat and he told Haqua that he was perhaps being a little unreasonable then.

'It wasn't just a little, okay Keima? I thought that you were going to scream your head off at me...'

Looking very cross at the treatment that she was receiving even though it wasn't technically her fault, Haqua asked Keima why he was getting very agitated now.

'… Did something go wrong?'

She could have sworn that Keima was shivering a little as he pulled Haqua with him while making a hasty retreat; the next phase of the plan was starting and it was important for the two of them to reach_that_ location before they miss out on the important information that might be gleamed from their encounter there.

'Yes, she's a yandere... or a potential yandere, I did not expect that at all. If I hadn't been able to pull back from there...'

'Yandere? What's that?'

She was looking confused even as Keima and Haqua sneaked into the mall's stair way for a quick getaway from the mall. Keima made Haqua check on Haruka's movement and wasn't that surprised to see that she was leaving the mall as well in a furious pace. She probably was heading over there now when she was still seeing red, not a good thing for who she was going to confront.

'… Call Elsi, tell her to prepare for the worst... And to answer your question, Haqua... A Yandere is someone who is extremely dangerous and who might go off the deep end if the object of their affection is taken away from them.'

'Huuh? That means you... right? Or am I missing something here?'

Looking a little thoughtful as the two of them leapt out of an open window, cloaked of course, Keima instructed Haqua to try and follow Haruka if possible. That was probably not possible as eventually Haruka would need to get on the train; her final destination was quite a distance away.

'No you're not, I am the object of her affection. I'm surprised you didn't laugh yet, Haqua.'

Looking quite surprised at her reaction and of course, her attitude towards him despite him berating her earlier, Haqua gave a long-suffering sigh as she replied that he was 'capturing' her now, right?

'That means that she should be heads over heel in love with you by now, yes?'

'Not quite... but yes, that is true right now... I was planning on planting the seeds of affection, just the seeds and not let it develop but it seems that she has either succumbed to the Weiss completely or I read her affection level inaccurately.'

'Why... would you say that?'

Dropping down in mid-flight as they saw Haruka heading off to the train station, Keima pursed his lips even while Haqua struggled to hold on to him without touching him with her hands. Right now she was carrying Keima with her raiment but it was a tricky business to carry two of them as that would mean quadruple the calculations necessary for flight.

'As she did not display any traits of a yandere at all... well, she was showering affection and dropping hints on me... but, she has not displayed any other signs of being a yandere at all. I might have totally missed the warning signs as I was too distracted by her lies... but...'

'But what, Keima?'

It was the first time that Haqua had seen Keima so lost or confused at the hints that they were given and she was a little concerned. If Keima was unable to see through this girl's action, how could they expect to do so?

'The Weiss, I did see miasma gathering around her when she displayed her Yandere characteristic... could it be the gap in her heart that was making the Weiss show itself? Had I opened up the gap in her heart again?'

He was asking her for her opinion?! This was unheard of and Haqua inhaled deeply while thinking of what might happen after he had rejected her.

Or at least, he did reject her right? She can't really tell with his lines, it seems like he was still giving her a way to make him accept her though.

'Katsuragi...'

Deciding on the appropriate action that Keima would have done, Haqua mentioned that it was probably the Weiss.

..

'Katsuragi, you were giving her a chance to redeem herself desho? I mean, if you didn't, you wouldn't have said that she could be more neh? A-Anyway, to answer your question... if you see miasma surrounding her, it probably was the Weiss. The Weiss is probably trying to take her body already if it could physically manifest around her. There's not much time remaining.'

'Wait, tell me something first, Haqua.'

He reached out to tug at Haqua's hands, causing the demon girl to blush deeply as she nodded her head, surprised at his touch and gesture.

'For the Weiss to manifest like that would mean that her gap has widened significantly, is that right?'

'That is one possibility but it seems like it is the case here... what about it, Keima?'

'I... have not narrowed down the reason for the Weiss taking over her heart in the first place.'

With that admission, Haqua almost, almost dropped Keima in shock before she finally recovered from the bombshell that had been dropped on her.

'W-What? Really?! K-Katsuragi? Why? Why didn't you...'

'I should... but it seems that I was wrong. I pinpointed the reason for the gap in her heart but I could not determine exactly what was the fundamental problem... Although I.. .see the ending, I did not see what caused the ending.'

Keima muttered tersely before pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

'I... do now. The gap in her heart... can only be caused by one thing. One single thing that explains everything.'

'And that is?'

Looking up as they saw their destination appearing in the horizon, a grim smile appeared on her face as Keima revealed the truth to her.

'I... Is that it? Really?'

'Wars have been fought for the same reason, Haqua... Right now... I think that is the only thing that she can see in front of her.

* * *

..

'Hah... Haaah.. Haaah...'

Panting as she climbed the final few stairs to her destination, Kureha Haruka rested for a moment, bending down and taking a breather before wiping away the sweat from her brows.

Perhaps it wasn't a good idea to run all the way here from the station but she didn't care right now. Not when, not when the person that had caused all this was just in front of her.

'Right... let's go...'

Clenching her fist, Haruka straightened her clothes and tied her twintails into a small bun to prevent it from getting into the way before heading towards the front door of the dojo.

'Ah...?'

Before she could slide the paper door open, the door opened for her instead as though someone was expecting her. Swallowing nervously, trying to calm her nerves despite the cloud of anger that was affecting her still, Haruka stepped into the dark dojo.

'So, you are finally here again, Kureha.'

When she stepped into the dojo for the first time in years, the lights turned on and it illuminated Kasuga Kusonoki as she sat there in the traditional position, just like how she had seen her before so many years ago.

Kneeling patiently and stoically in that position brought Haruka back to the first time she had met this sempai. She had worshipped her and learnt under her... but most importantly, she wanted to surpass her. She had failed in that last aspect then but now it was different, now she had another reason to confront her.

She... took away what was rightly hers again and she slowly walked towards her, cautiously while looking all around for anyone else that was present.

The last time they met here was in a similar scenario three years ago... was history going to repeat itself? No, she would never condone that! Not again!

'What is it that you want from me this time, Kureha? The position of the head of the dojo? Or perhaps... the friendship of Ikoma? Tell me, Kureha... what is it that you desire so much that you have to resort to facing me again.'

Was she not the one who had fed him those lies after all? Or was she just bluffing her? Trying to toy and play with her?

Haruka didn't know now... but she did know that whatever the answer was, Kusonoki would surely...

'Tell me... Kusonoki-sempai...'

'…'

'Tell me... Tell me now... are you the one who told _him_ the truth.'

'… The truth... huh? Now what truth, are you referring to.'

Looking unimpressed at her words, Kusonoki did stand up, adapting the same stance that she had remembered her using the last time they met.

'My... truth.'

'… If you want that to be your truth...'

Closing her eyes briefly, Kusonoki flicked her hands a little, challenging her to prove her point yet again.

'… That is exactly what I want, sempai... or should I say... sensei!'

* * *

**Author's Notes: Ah, tell me your comments and thoughts so far, it has been a while since I got a detailed review.**


	33. Confrontation Mk II

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 33: Confrontation Mk II**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, ****_AKAAkira_**** for the beta-edit, this arc really was thanks to you in many ways.**

**Happy new year guys! To more stories and chapters ahead in the new year!**

* * *

**..**

Looking on at the two girls who were glaring at each other in their own way, Haruka was radiating pure hatred and true to her being possessed, black miasma was clearly visible around her. This made Elsi squeak in fear while looking at Kusonoki, the older girl merely acknowledging that new development with a small nod.

Could Kusonoki see the miasma? It made sense that it was possible for her to see the miasma as she had regained her memories after all, meaning that whatever or whoever had done this to her had invested some power in Kusonoki to forcibly trigger her memories again.

Well, it was only a hypothesis as Kusonoki didn't seem surprised at all; in fact she gave no indication that she could see the miasma so perhaps she couldn't see it at all? Well, there's no use debating about that question as they started to free-spar almost without warning.

It was Haruka who took the initiative as she placed her foot firmly forward before lunging forward in a barrage of fists and knuckles aimed straight at Kusonoki.

Although no expert at sports or karate, Elsi could still tell that Haruka wasn't holding back at all. If an amateur like her could see and sense the power within those blows that Haruka was delivering relentlessly, one could tell how serious the situation was.

Holding her breath, Elsi wished she could assist Kusonoki but before she could try anything, two more figures dropped onto the roof of the dojo beside her.

Prior to Haruka's arrival, Elsi had, with Haqua's help, placed a raiment at the dojo like a security camera and was looking at the action.

'Did we miss anything?'

Kureha Haruka did indeed arrive at the dojo just like how Keima had said she would and Elsi's belief in her Kami-Onii-sama rose once again even as Haqua looked at him in the same way.

She had been just a bit skeptical, especially with him revealing that he didn't know the exact cause of the gap in her heart that the Weiss was currently feeding on. But Haqua had to admit that his explanation for the 'ending' was satisfactory and accurate, plugging in many holes in the capture so far.

However, it was still something to know that Keima could have predicted that Haruka would storm up to confront Kusonoki immediately after being rejected by him.

..

'It has happened before, remember the time that she stormed off to speak with Kusonoki after I told her that she was lying? It is a similar occasion as the last time... Come to think of it, the reason was the same as well. I didn't trust her then and I still can't trust her now... the only difference is that she had been playing me earlier and now, I am the one who was playing her. Let her have taste of her own medicine for a change.'

Remarking coldly even as he observed the fight that was going on, Keima merely nodded when Elsi remarked that Keima really didn't like Haruka.

'I'm tired of explaining about why I dislike Kureha... she is an individual with great potential, she has talent and she has the drive that many of the girls in the **real** lack... but instead of channeling those energy into something useful, she uses it to toy with other people's life... Even I have my standards...'

'You've been doing it with the others for quite a while, Katsuragi.'

Haqua interrupted him coldly and mentioned something about the pot calling the kettle black as well.

'Even so, you cannot deny that they are satisfied with the current arrangement, can you, Haqua?'

'…'

When he heard no reply and simply a sniff from her, Keima took it as a victory from his point of view and continued with no regard to Elsi saying that it's not good for him to be biased against her.

'It is going against so many rules... in the **world/ideal** we can see what is going on with the character's point of view as well. Just like any, any mystery novel, the problem must be introduced at some part of the story. It can be just a monologue, a single careless line dropped by one of the supporting characters, a flashback scene, a book that she could be reading or from some false rumours... Wait, we got that last one... but, but in the end, the reason for the gap in her heart to form was just... that? Talk about anti-climatic! I would give that ending a 4/10!'

He cursed out loud even as Haqua and Elsi decided to ignore him and instead took time to observe the ongoing fight.

..  
..

Kusonoki was holding her own against Kureha Haruka and that was a compliment as there were not only one, but at least three different Kureha Haruka that were surrounding her, much to the surprise of the two demon girls as they stared at that incredible sight.

The gloves were really all coming off now as Kusonoki needed all her skills, agility as well as her experience to stop Haruka or the Harukas as they lashed out at her. It was a good thing that they didn't really have good coordination with each other yet as Kusonoki was able to block their blows before they struck her and returned the favor by striking back with an equally fast and furious backpalm every time they got too close for comfort.

'It must be the Weiss, Haqua! What should we do!'

To think that Kureha Haruka's Weiss would show up in such a way, the power to replicate oneself... in a way that was quite fitting to her as she was someone who always seemed to be everywhere and not everywhere due to her influence, her reputation as well as the lives that she touched.

The 'Flame of Middle High', they called her, someone who made others gather around her and yet at the same time, burn all those who approached her due to her insatiable appetite to be first, to own whatever she wanted.

She was fickle and, in her own way, a perfectionist who likes to do things by herself.

The Weiss was like a mirror to that, replicating what she might have wished for if given the chance...

That explains why she showed that yandere characteristic as well as she had laid claim on Keima; he was hers, as far as she was concerned, and nothing would stop her from trying to keep him for herself.

Looking up in concern, Haqua was about to ask whether they should help Kusonoki when Keima shook his head and said that it was a terrible idea.

'Kusonoki has her own pride as well... not to mention that the victory or loss would be meaningless if one of you interfered... Trust Kusonoki and her determination, I would not have asked her to do this dangerous task if I didn't think that she was ready for it... but the outcome...'

Looking tense and worried, Keima joined the other two girls as they watched Kusonoki slowly being pushed back by Kureha Haruka as she continued on relentlessly.

* * *

..

..

_She was good, that was a fact. To think that she could still have that level of proficiency and skill after three years... if not for the fact that she had been learning and training during her three year absence, Kusonoki knew that she would have been beaten to a pulp a long time ago._

_Haruka's strikes were vicious and although her pose was all wrong and awkward, they were sufficient enough to not be too much of liability as Kusonoki defended against her strikes towards the vital points._

_It was going on fine at the start and Kusonoki had her on the ropes within few strikes, advancing forward while she retreated back; as she knocked Haruka's hand out of line and got ready a textbook throw, another Haruka appeared suddenly beside her and she had to jump back to avoid a strike to the back of her head._

_She wanted to say that she was hallucinating but it was true that Haruka seemed to be everywhere at the same time and although her strikes were not as fast as before, her reaction being much sharper and fine tuned than three years back... Being attacked from all angles around her was wearing her down._

_Kusonoki had spoken to her firmly at the start as well, asking her repeatedly why she was here._

_'Are you here to seek amends for what you've done to me... to everyone three years ago? Or have you come here to seek revenge for what I did to you then? Or perhaps... you came because of him?'_

_Haruka had shrieked at her then, increasing the ferocity of her blows while telling her to mind her own business._

_'I will take him away from you, no matter what it takes, I will, I will take him from you... you don't deserve him... you don't own him! I do... he's mine... He's different! So why, why must you take him away!'_

_'He never belonged to you or me in the first place! Wake up, Haruka!'_

_She might have gone off the deep end but so had she; she swore that there were multiple Harukas appearing around her and sparring with her. This feeling really was consistent to her sparring with multiple people around her._

_If Keima had just planted the 'seeds' of affection in her to garner such a response, she dreaded to know what would happen it the seed of affection took root._

_In another point of view, Kusonoki finally realized how dangerous Keima's job can be... she promised to help him with it if he asked right? But this was difficult... really... could she really help out?_

_'RAAHHH!'_

_Howling another battle cry of frustration as Kusonoki knocked Haruka back from her position with a well place strike from her elbow, the elder girl took the opportunity to steady her breathing even as Haruka looked on at her warily before speaking again._

_'Why, why can't you just give up, Kusonoki-sempai! Why can't... I ever...'_

_'You can never beat me, Haruka.'_

_Cutting her off sternly even as the younger girl gaped at her, not believing what she was saying. Getting into the ready position again, Kusonoki quickly side stepped another surprise attack from behind her, confirming her suspicions that there was certainly something afoot._

_It wasn't just Haruka who she was fighting/sparring against, she was matched against something else, something that wasn't human as it felt different._

_She scored a direct hit against whatever that was but it just... disappeared once struck. What disturbed her the most was how she couldn't see what she was up against. It was like watching through a static filled TV, she could make out the rough outline of what was coming after her but that was all._

_Haqua had warned her of this but she hadn't gone into specifics as to what might actually happen if the 'worse case scenario' happened. It made her a little upset that they were still withholding so many things from her but since it had been Haqua, the Haqua who she was quite close with, Kusonoki had taken her warnings to heart._

_If they had been unwilling to tell them before, having Haqua provide her with advice as to what might happen to her was a huge concession on their part._

..

_Still, that wasn't helping much as Kusonoki thanked her daily training regime of sparring with more than one person at one time. It was the only way that she felt 'alive' as she was more than capable of defeating anyone who stepped up to the plate to challenge her. The only exceptions were Haqua and Haruka, the latter because Kusonoki admitted that she had difficulty facing due to her relationship with her._

_'You're my student... how can you ever hope to defeat me.'_

_Yes, that was the truth, she had been her first ever student. Her first apprentice that she had brought home specially after school to train in her family's martial art style. She had shown so much talent, potential and hard work that within a few weeks she was sparring quite evenly with some of the men who had been training in the dojo for years._

_She had thought that she might even surpass her one day, a dream that was shattered when she challenged the dojo and in extension her._

_It had to be a nightmare, it had to be as there was no way that Haruka would want to take her position as the head of the dojo. Would she?_

_Kusonoki didn't know then but she now knew that Haruka was an insanely competitive person. If she was obsessed with something, she would do her best to be the best in that particular thing. In some ways it was something of a blessing as she had sufficient focus to succeed on anything that she was interested in._

_Unfortunately as she was a very fickle person, she was unable to keep her attention on anything._

_But this was not the time for reminiscing what could have been and what might be possible if she was able to stop this from escalating out of skill._

_'I don't want to be just your student! I... I want to surpass you... but why, why do you not let me step out of your shadow!'_

_It seems that her words had struck a nerve and Kusonoki looked hesitant for a moment but even that moment of hesitation was no match for her honed reflexes as she executed another textbook throw over her shoulders at her assailant that she couldn't quite see._

_'… So you wish to step out of my shadow?'_

_Sounding a little hollow and empty inside herself, Kusonoki shook her head as she looked and subsequently smiled at Haruka._

_'You can never do that... not when you do not know what truly matters in your heart. You might have the talent, the ability and the drive ... but you will never know what it is like to be truly yourself.'_

_Gesturing to herself, Kusonoki declared that she stayed true to her beliefs and therefore she was._

_'I know what I am aiming for, what I must do to achieve my final objective and I do everything in my power to reach for that final goal of mine, regardless of the difficulties that I may face. Haruka, you do not have that. You do not know what burns in your heart, the passion that drives everyone forward...'_

_'I do! I do! Stop saying that! Stop repeating this to me!"_

_'You do not!'_

_Pointing a finger sternly at her even as Haruka retreated even more, running a hand through and then subsequently holding her own hair, Haruka was a mess of nerves as she continued to be berated by Kusonoki._

_'You do not have the passion or the willpower or... the desperation that everyone has for the things that they are fighting for... All you wish to do, is to be the best... but what is the best? Do you really believe that you can be the best by surpassing me?'_

_Narrowing her eyes even as Haruka lunged at her again, Kusonoki stepped aside easily, almost casually as she grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back. Even as Haruka yelled in pain while struggling against her firm grip, Kusonoki never stopped, telling her what she thought about her._

..

_'The best isn't everything, Haruka... being the head of the dojo means something to me, but it certainly isn't why I am holding on to this position.'_

_Releasing her suddenly, Kusonoki narrowed her eyes as Haruka looked at her in shock, as if she had just destroyed her reason for living with those words._

_'B-But... w-why... why would you keep on resisting, fighting on if it was not to be the best? The best, the first... that is what that matters! Without it... I'm nothing... I can't be myself if I'm not first...'_

_'Then you're just a child... a child, who cannot let go of her toy...'_

_Those words hit Haruka hard and Kusonoki saw her clenching her fist tightly while looking down, obviously upset and furious at her words. She really did sound horrible, didn't she? But Kusonoki knew that good medicines always tastes bitter and the truth always hurt._

_Kureha Haruka, aiming for the best just because she wanted to be the best wasn't the best of reasons but it would be a terrible reason if that was her only reason._

_Everyone should have a goal and not everyone would be able to achieve their goals due to the competition around them. For someone who had achieved success in everything she has laid her hands on, after trampling the dreams of others to reach the top of the mountain..._

_Kasuga Kusonoki could not, would not accept Kureha Haruka achieving all of this if her only dream was to be the first, to be the best in whatever she sets her mind to be._

_She would not be able to face all those that Haruka had forced to leave the club, having their dreams and school-days shattered by her with a straight face._

_So, no matter what, she would not fall or fail the mission she was given by Katsuragi Keima._

_'Come, Kureha Haruka... prove to me that I am wrong, if you can!'_

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**Author's Notes: I ****_suck_**** at battle scenes, I can't visualize them properly in my head but that's a bad excuse.**


	34. I Am Number One

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 34: I Am Number One**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

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**Author's Notes: And, back to your usual updates. As part of my resolution of the New Year, I will make all attempts to release on schedule for the rest of the year. Failing to do so, I'll at least announce a delay on the next release on the prior one.**

**Again, Thank You, ****_AKAAKIRA_****, I'll be in your care for the beta for the coming year as well.**

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**..**

It was a tense scenario for everyone that was present, not only Kusonoki herself but Haqua and Elsi, as they looked down at Kusonoki confronting Kureha Haruka.

The two of them had a long history together and for once, Keima was letting someone else complete the capture for him. It was not his first option but it was the easiest option that he could offer right now.

One reaps what one sows after all and the easiest way out of this scenario was to start from the source. No one knows when and how Kureha Haruka started with her obsession over being number one, but it was true that the reason she was possessed by the Weiss was a direct consequence of that.

She was fickle, hard to please, manipulative as well as heartless... and yet, Haruka retains that small childish side of her that desires to be the best just for the sake of it.

'I am not one to judge someone's dreams or aspirations but Haruka she...'

'…'

Looking expectantly at him, the two demon girls smiled sadly when Keima shook his head and said that it was to each their own.

'She has her own reasons for doing so... and I admit that it is her freedom of choice to continue living her life in this way. However, the gap in heart was most certainly caused by her desire to gain something important, something that would cement her position as the 'best' and the 'first' to everyone around her.'

'… and that person... is you?'

Looking and pointing at Keima, Haqua was about to laugh when Keima reminded her of his relationship with Kusonoki and Minami.

'Kusonoki aside, it was a well known fact that Minami has a crush on me.'

Looking a little embarrassed as he admitted that, Elsi remarked softly that it was about _her_ again while Haqua nodded crossly in agreement. He was just being a little _too _obvious for their liking now.

'And Kusonoki as well, she made a public declaration that I was someone different to her... naturally I would have peaked Haruka's attention, being the only thing that was out of Kusonoki's reach that she could still reach.'

Seeing that the two girls found that his theory was a little far-fetched, Keima continued while sighing.

'Wars have been fought for stupider reasons... Her obsession with being the first could have created the gap in the first place. By persuading or showing her that being the first did not really matter would be sufficient to chase the Weiss out. There is no need for me to make her fall in love with me.'

Looking down at Haruka and Kusonoki at it again, Keima smiled a little when Elsi said that it was possible for him to save her nonetheless by 'capturing her', right?

..

'… It's not possible.'

Keima's words made the two girls turn to him in shock and then promptly made Haqua slap him in the back of his head when he continued after pausing for a few seconds.

'...for me not to capture her after how she is reacting right now... that was why I decided against it. The Weiss's influence is getting stronger by the minute and if I continued to spend time with her, it would no doubt cause more trouble in the end. Even if I did open up the gap in her heart to some extent when I confronted her about the truth for the second time, forcing an end to this entire story is better than the alternative in letting me be the one who tells her that she is forever the number one to me.'

Saying that line without thinking straight, Keima recalled having used that line before and he looked away uncomfortably, especially when Elsi snapped her fingers in recognition of that phrase.

'Ah! Ah! I remember! Kami-Onii-sama said that to-!'

Before Elsi could say more however, Keima had tackled the young girl, pulling both of her ears while Haqua just looked at them in confusion before what Elsi said finally clicked in her mind.

'… You said those lines to someone before, haven't you?'

Haqua smiled wryly as Keima froze before releasing Elsi and looking away uncomfortably. This was something quite rare from Keima and Haqua giggled a little before speaking out again.

'Although I don't know what your intentions are, I think it's sweet for you not to repeat the same lines to another girl, you piece of trash.'

It wasn't really clear whether Haqua was complimenting Keima or insulting him for it but it seemed like a mix of both as she smiled to herself before paying attention to the brawl that was going on downstairs.

She felt bad for letting Kusonoki handle this situation by herself but she couldn't go against Keima after all. He had been adamant that they end the story and capture today. For what reasons Haqua knew of many but she believed that this was an experiment of sorts.

He was a **God** when it came to 'capturing' but like she had heard Elsi mention before, he was more than capable of capturing more than one heroine in one go, showing that at times he could be compared to a demon, playing and toying with the feelings of the 'targets' in order to make a capture successful.

Haqua said _almost_ as he was never unnecessarily cruel or mean and did not full-heartedly agree on how the end justifies the means. If it was possible, he would find a less painful method or at least do the best he can to conceal what might be forced on the target as far as it was possible.

That was the Katsuragi Keima that she knew and respected and even till now, Haqua believed in. If there was a way to ease her suffering in the long run, Katsuragi Keima would take that method. That was Haqua's belief in him.

But... was that really so?

Would this confrontation between the two of them really be the best way to solve the problem?

'Do not doubt Kusonoki.'

As though he was reading her mind, Keima nodded and pointed to Kusonoki, who had continued to spar with Haruka, only this time Kusonoki was clearly holding the advantage over her.

'She knows what she has to do and she would deliver what she promised.'

For some reason, Haqua felt a little uneasy at his declaration, as though a small weight was lifted from her shoulders. But it was not a weight that she didn't want to carry... it was like, Haqua felt a small shift of power between the girls and her.

* * *

..

..

_'…'_

_Biting her tongue to stop herself from taunting the confused and angry girl, Kusonoki had a complex mix of emotions churning inside her as she observed the visible effects from saying those lines that Keima had given her._

_It was like he had read Haruka's mind and no matter what she said in return or in rebuttal, the lines that Keima had made her remember and memorize were sufficient and more than capable of rendering Haruka speechless again._

_Then again, those words were very close to the same feelings that she had felt when she finally got over the shock of seeing Haruka challenging her in her own dojo._

_That was... very horrible but even now when three years had passed, Kusonoki was only able to put all those doubts and regrets behind her due to Keima._

_He was the one that had pieced together the pieces of the puzzle, delved into the heart of Kureha Haruka to know what she wanted. It sounded so simple, that she wanted to be the best..._

_But would she have been able to say those same words in front of her three years ago? Would she be able to say those same words with the same conviction and belief she has now?_

_Kasuga Kusonoki didn't think so as she would have agreed with Kureha Haruka then. It was something common, something similar that everyone would have believed in when they were young._

_To be first, to be the best was something that everyone should aspire to be and there was nothing wrong in Haruka using that as a source of motivation._

_But now, after realizing what was important to her and having that as an inspiration and motivation to work towards for, Kusonoki found Haruka to be extremely childish, not to mention ridiculous at doing so many things for that one reason._

_Yes, Kusonoki agreed with Haruka when she said that it was not her fault that everyone else was unable to keep up with her. She knew that Haruka had more energy and talent than the average person and... she was 'right' to say that if they were unable to stop her from surpassing them, their will and determination was still lacking when compared to hers._

_That said, Kusonoki found that she could not agree with Haruka when she said that was her only reason and motivation in learning something new._

_Who gave her the right to trample over the dreams of others when her own vision and goal was not decided yet!_

_They were... no longer children! And they were not just competing for the sake of competing! Everyone had the right to reach for their dreams and to not have their dreams terminated or prematurely stopped because of someone else for no reason at all._

_Her justification, her reason for chasing away her club mates and her seniors were...just for self-gratification and that was not what she wanted to see._

_Not when all of their sacrifices were for naught as she drifted away, her focus and determination switching over to another sport within a few months of what had occurred here._

..

_She had no regrets, not when she was the one who was able to stop her advance, her desire, and of course her madness._

_Even now Haruka seemed crazy as she tried to deny Kusonoki along with the determination and regret that enabled her to stand on an even footing with her. Even if Haruka had the aid of the supernatural with her, Kusonoki refused to back down and was indeed gaining the upper hand as she blocked the relentless and mean strikes directed at her. With many bruises and welts from where she blocked her strikes inaccurately, it was a wonder Kusonoki was still standing, not to mention winning her bout with Haruka._

_It might not seem much but it was a very technical duel between the two of them, with Kusonoki having the edge due to her experience and Haruka having an unfair advantage due to the 'unnatural' power she was showing off._

_If it was a straight out one on one duel, there was no chance that Haruka could win but with that unfair advantage... anything could happen._

_That was why Kusonoki's advantage came from her words, from how and when she could finally persuade Haruka to come to her senses._

_'Pathetic, Haruka, is that all you can show me? Is that all of your determination?'_

_Stating calmly and strongly at the same time even as Kusonoki slapped her hands away when Haruka tried to grab and throw her over her shoulders, Kusonoki's gaze never wavered as she planted her foot firmly on the floor, pivoting herself on that one foot to catch Haruka's arm and subsequently delivering the throw that she wanted to do on her._

_'Get up, Haruka! We're not done yet!'_

_It brought her back, to how her master, her father trained her when her sister left her. Her sister, Kasuga Hinoki was supposed to take over the head of the dojo but with her leaving home, Kusonoki had to take over the dojo instead._

_It had seemed that her father was forcing his values into her and till now, Kusonoki knew that to some extent he was indeed doing that._

_But despite all of that, Kusonoki knew that it wasn't just about the dojo, it was about her as well._

_She had been heart-broken after seeing her sister leave, as she loved her sister more than anything else in the world. Perhaps, just perhaps, the only times she started taking the training seriously was on the occasion when her father beat the hell out of her, just like this._

..

_He had questioned her about her values, about what she thought was right and wrong and for every answer she gave, her father would lash out at her, telling her that was childish._

_She... had to grow up that very instant, that very day and to this day, Kusonoki had not forgotten what her father had said to her._

_'There is no wrong and no right answer to anything in the world. There is however, one model answer in everyone's heart. That answer is something that you would find in the course of your life... That answer, Kusonoki, must be found and not be borrowed. There might be many individuals who share the same or similar answers but one cannot and should never borrow answers or ideals to reach for in life.'_

_He was telling her to never use an excuse or a borrowed reason to strive for. That she should always be clear to her objectives, to never waver and to never forget what all that hard work was for._

_It was simply uncanny how similar it was to what Keima had told her before he set off for the date with Haruka._

* * *

..

..

_'Kusonoki. You and you alone can break Haruka out of this vicious cycle.'_

_Keima was careful with his words and although Kusonoki wasn't sure of it, she could sense that Keima was very reluctant in telling this to her._

_'… You are the root cause of this whole incident... Kusonoki, I'm afraid I have to be blunt with you.'_

_'…'_

_Lowering her head, Kusonoki nodded even as Keima continued without hesitating._

_'That doesn't mean you are the one at fault, Kusonoki. You are not at fault... if anything, you are the only person who can help Haruka now.'_

_Perhaps he was laying it on a bit thick but Kusonoki's eyes widened when Keima told her that he wasn't exaggerating at all._

_'The only person that she looks up to till now is undoubtedly you, Kusonoki. You are the only person to have gotten the best of her, both figuratively and literally. I may outwit and outplay her for now but it is the truth that she had me successfully fooled for the better half of the entire 'mission'. You, Kusonoki, are the only person who had successfully 'won' her and had even injured her, shattering her dream of being 'number one' in the Female Karate Club. I do not know how many times this vicious cycle has been going on, but it is time to have an end to all of this.'_

_Shaking his head, Keima told Kusonoki that although he didn't like to interfere in someone else's business, when a Weiss was involved, it became his problem._

_'… I am tasked with this burden, this responsibility of 'saving' all of them, whether I like it or not and that is something that I am saddled with. Despite all of her shortcomings, mistakes and treachery, I have the obligation to save her from this nightmare that she has fallen into.'_

_He was being pompous with his words, that much Kusonoki could tell and despite herself, she smiled a little as Keima continued on with his formal tone that she knew meant that he was trying to delay the inevitable._

_'You have to wake her up from her dream. From her obsession of trying to be number one. It is something that is so common in this age of ours, the endless rat race and the desire and wish to be the top that at times, everything else becomes secondary. That... is perhaps the reason why Haruka was sent off the edge. We do not know her family background, her past and what she has been through to be so obsessed with the goal of number one... Yes, it does remind me of someone else.'_

_Yes, one of the captures that was accomplished with help from yet another girl, Haibara Nanaka. She too was obsessed with victory, although not necessarily being First. How, she was unlike Haruka as she gets quite emotional after losing, a stark contrast from the one who would do anything and everything to be declared the winner and subsequently, first._

_Winning didn't seem to be a priority if she could be 'first', something which was cemented by how Haruka was able to accept defeat from one particular encounter and try to make that up by surprising him with the next one. The saying: 'Losing the Battle but winning the War,' seemed to suit Haruka perfectly._

_'Thus, we cannot truly judge her for what she has done. What she has done, has been done. There is nothing in the world that can change that fact... So, all she can do now is to try and make amends for what she has done. She might believe it is right and yes, it might be right to get to her goal... but... only you can show her that even if she might be right and might be justified... there are things more precious than being the 'first'.'_

_Kusonoki wasn't sure whether Keima was saying that to her, to Haruka or to himself as he looked a little wistful._

_'It's... a silly wish... a silly obsession... but all of us can relate to that as well, can't we? To desire for the best... and knowing that one is the best makes everything seem... just a little bit better. As the __**Capturing God**__, I have confidence in knowing that I am the best in what I can do and for her, her obsession with being first has taken over. To the point where she would do anything and everything in her power to gain her objective.'_

_It was really an endless and vicious cycle and Keima told Kusonoki to stop her, as she was the only person who could at this point._

_'That was the reason for her obsession with you, Kusonoki. You must never fall. Never, for if you do... that means that she has finally overcme all of her obstacles... It is precisely that obstacle that has been stopping her from succumbing to her inner demons. She knows deep inside her that she was just escaping from her problem, that she needs to face you once again. This is your chance, your only chance to tell her how you felt then. What could have happened and what the result of those actions would be.'_

_Kusonoki simply stared at Keima as he finally stopped, him looking at her closely, and ever so slowly, Kusonoki did nod her head in understanding._

_'… I see... as I am the one who started... all of this in a way, I have to be the person to end it...'_

_'Mm..'_

_'I... I don't have a say in this, do I?'_

_Smiling a little sadly, Kusonoki shook her head when Keima said that she didn't for there was really nothing much he can do for her._

_'… I am the __**Capturing God**__but even I can't save her by capturing her as it would not solve her problems, Kusonoki. The ending... I'll entrust it to you.'_

_'… Should I be flattered, Katsuragi?'_

_Looking at him with a small smile on her face as she gripped her own fist tightly, balling it and punching the air to calm herself, Kusonoki laughed out loud when Keima nodded his head._

_'You should. You shall be the first... that I allow to see the ending unfold in front of you.'_

_It was a big compliment on Keima's part or perhaps it was a sign of how desperate he was? Kusonoki couldn't tell but she nodded her head nonetheless._

_'I will do my best.'_


	35. Between Master and Student

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 35: Between Master and Student**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

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**Author's Notes: Totally unrelated, but ****_In Flight _****is updated, YES!**

**On the regular announcements, here's your chapter a little bit earlier! Thank you ****_AKAAkira _****for this beta, this entire arc is dedicated to you. As cheesy as that line might be.**

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**..**

..

_It was one thing to say that out loud and it was another thing altogether for her to do as what she promised._

_Kureha Haruka was not listening to her at all and she was at the end of her tether, being struck repeatedly by Haruka as she never seemed to tire while she was being repeatedly worn down by her relentless assaults._

_Any indication that she was listening to her had disappeared and Kusonoki felt and probably looked like a punching bag as Haruka finally scored a direct hit, striking her on her stomach after blocking a clumsy counterstrike from her.  
It was as painful as she remembered, the last time she was struck was from Haruka as well and she gritted her teeth as she prepared herself for Haruka's inevitable barrage of blows that would no doubt begin after sensing a weakness from Kusonoki._

_How had she won the last time after being struck by Haruka? Kusonoki couldn't quite remember as the short duel was just as fast as it was short. The two of them had exchanged a flurry of blows too fast for the judge, a fellow student, to really see what was going on and it was evident that the winner could only be declared if one nets a knock out, something that wasn't possible within the rules of the school or her dojo._

_Her dojo and her style of fighting lies in strength and in speed but its purpose was for self cultivation and perhaps for self-defence, never for violence._

_Even so, Kusonoki had injured her and quite gravely at that as she remembered that she had fractured her arm, thus ending the little 'duel' and 'spar' between the two of them._

_It wasn't just her that was scarred by that duel, Haruka was too according to Keima. She had never gotten over that one single 'loss' and Kusonoki herself would forever be haunted by the knowledge that she had hurt someone, even if inadvertently with her skills._

_The martial arts aren't supposed to showcase strength or violence but instead show one's dedication and focus on their chosen art-form. That was what Kusonoki believed in and she never wanted to hurt someone with her strength or ability. It wouldn't be what she was training for!_

_'Why... why do you not give up!? Why, Kusonoki-sempai... why don't you just... give up. You know, you know that you can't win agme... I'm the strongest!'_

_Kusonoki panted a little even as she returned to the same ready position that she had been holding for quite some time now while shaking her head and even sighing a little._

_'… If you have to say that to convince yourself, Haruka... you are not the strongest... Why... why are you so obsessed with being the strongest? Is there... really something to that title at all? Is it really this important to you?'_

_Throwing that question at her, Kusonoki was gratified to see Haruka hesitate quite a bit when that question was thrown at her. It was an advice from Keima, if she wasn't able to knock some sense into her, question her motive, question her goal and lastly, question what she was doing right now._

_'Do you really think that you'll be the first if you defeat me, Haruka? What do you accomplish from defeating me in this 'duel'? If you can satisfy me with your answer, I'll let you win this duel.'_

_Lowering her hands to the side of her body, Kusonoki waited for Haruka as she seemed lost for words or perhaps struggling to find a good reason to justify her actions even as Kusonoki waited for her._

_'I... don't want you to just give me the victory, Kusonoki-sempai! It's meaningless if you do that!'_

_'Is victory all that you are after, Haruka? Is that it? Is... defeating me, all that matters?'_

_Another question and Haruka looked more and more cornered as she backed away from Kusonoki even though the older girl wasn't moving an inch._

_'Tell me, please, Haruka...'_

_Her voice was soft, quiet and gentle on Haruka, a very big contrast to how stern and formal she was before and this made Haruka even more flustered than before._

_'S-Stop this! W-Why... Kusonoki-sempai wouldn't... wouldn't have done this to me in the past... w-why, why are you doing this now?! Who are you? You're not Kusonoki-sempai at all!'_

* * *

..

..

Laughing a little at the clique line and reaction Haruka was giving , Keima frowned when he felt Haqua's foot placed firmly on his and as it ground down on him, Keima raised an eyebrow even as Haqua demanded to know why he was so calm after seeing Kusonoki get all beat up by her.

'Why can't I interfere, Katsuragi? Give me one good reason why!'

Even Elsi was looking on in concern, inching to help Kusonoki out in some small way, even if it was to just serve her some tea but Keima had been adamant on that. No one should interfere with the two's duel, no matter the cost.

_'Even if Kusonoki might lose, I do not want the two of you to interfere.'_

That was what Keima had said and he had reminded them of that repeatedly while watching the two girls go at it each other without hesitating. It was cruel to Haqua and undoubtedly so for Elsi as the other girl had been chewing on her clothes nervously, wincing with every new glancing blow that Kusonoki blocked or narrowly avoided.

'Her pride. Kusonoki has her own pride as well. Just as how she has been able to fight you to a standstill every single time you sparred, she has her own pride to account for. If you interfered now, not only would the outcome not count, Kusonoki would be hurt as well. She agreed to this as she knew that I trusted her. If one of you interfered, it would signify that she was not trustworthy enough to help out in her own way.'

His words made sense and Haqa bit her lip in regret, it was all true and she lowered her scythe while looking at Kusonoki and Haruka facing each other again.

'It pains you to see her like this... so be sure to tell her that later on, Haqua, Elsi.'

His words surprised them and they nodded in agreement, some of their anger subsiding at Keima's rare display of concern for Kusonoki. The two of them should have realized that the person that was the most stressed now was Keima as he had been the person who had agreed to letting Kusonoki try. He was not pawning off the responsibility to her but instead viewed it as an 'easier' attempt to get the Weiss out of Haruka.

Despite his dislike of the capturing target, Keima was still Keima and he.. in his own way, was looking out for the both of them.

'You too, Katsuragi... you too...'

She whispered softly even as Keima watched the two of them stop fighting, commenting that it was close to the end now.

'Elsi, get ready. Haqua... be prepared for the worst.. we do not know how much the Weiss has taken over Haruka and how strong it has become.'

Looking at the two heroines, (yes, they were heroines in their own right), Keima blinked when Haqua asked him if that was okay.

'Is... it okay? What do you mean?'

Curious at her sudden statement, Keima gave a small smile when Haqua asked him if it was okay for him go give up the role of the protagonist of this story.

'You... told us once that you are the one who will save all the girls desho? This... isn't like you. You're so controlling and dedicated that...'

'It's wrong for me to rely on others? Is that what you are trying to say?'

It was true, Keima had been very adamant in getting his own way when it came to his captures, the first time that he had a 'heroine' help her in a capture was with the capture of Haibara Nanaka where Ayukawa Tenri and Diana had helped him out a little and the subsequent capture of Konoe Rea was something of a collaboration with Tsukiyo and Shiori.

But he had never, ever allowed someone else to witness the 'ending' and the 'capture' of a 'heroine' at all. Until now, that was, and Haqua felt a little confused at his actions. It was like he said, there could be other means and methods for him to be the one to solve all of her problems, so why didn't he?

..

'It's not about the protagonist. It's about the girls... the ending, that is all that matters.'

His one word made Haqua and Elsi blush as he crossed his arms while looking back at Kusonoki and Haruka. He has his own issues, his own personal problems, not to mention his dysfunctional attitude and personality, but Katsuragi Keima really, really looked very dashing and handsome as he looked down at Haruka and Kusonoki.

'It does not matter what happen to me as long as the 'ending' and the 'capture' is accomplished in the best way, with the minimal harm and in the fastest method and way possible. All of them, they are going through something terrible inside them that no one else would understand.'

He would understand; in the brief spell where he had switched bodies with Guido Yui, he had felt that pressure, that built up of negativity inside her that was choking her from the inside out. If that was what Guido Yui experienced, he did not want to let any other person experience it ever again.

'After all, the girls... none of them are not at fault for this happening to them. If we have to call a reason for that, it is us... and New Hell who was putting them through all this. Although indirectly, I am also the cause for this from happening in the first place. The cause might be different, the reason and ending might be different... but the desired outcome and ending shall always be the same. If I do not know and cannot focus on the one thing I should be focusing on, I would not be worthy of the title of **God**.'

His words made Haqua and Elsi nod slowly in understanding and Haqua found that she saw a new aspect of Keima, a lonely and yet dedicated person fighting and searching for the one thing that everyone had missed.

He wasn't fighting for the seat of a protagonist. In fact he couldn't really be called a protagonist with his mindset and personality; he certainly knew what he was fighting for, he wasn't particularly unskilled in what he should be doing and he certainly wasn't going against some large evil organization... wait, he might be doing the last part.

But yes, Katsuragi Keima wasn't your typical protagonist; he was... unique, and Haqua found that she liked that part of him.

A protagonist that wasn't a protagonist, someone whose ego and personality still shaped the supporting cast of characters around him, whether they liked it or not and yet, he was still content in letting them find their own way in this confusing story they were acting in.

Less of a protagonist and more of the person who crafted the tale in the first place... it wouldn't be a stretch to say that Katsuragi Keima was the co-writer of this reality that they were in.

No one... would be more suited than him for this.

'… Get ready... for it ends now.'

He declared while pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, just like how he did so many times before.

* * *

..  
..

_Haruka was right, she wasn't the Kasuga Kusonoki from before and she nodded her head at his words, a smile gracing her features as she looked to the side, embarrassed at her stating that outright. It was a shock to Haruka though and Kusonoki played it to her advantage just like how Keima had said she would be._

_'I am not, you are right to say that. I am not the Kasuga Kusonoki from three years back... That Kasuga Kusonoki is not the same one that you see here. Three years ago, I was still searching for who I am, who I really want to be... and I didn't have the answer to that. I was a junior in the Female Karate club and I looked up to the seniors in the club just like how they looked up to me on my skills in the act. They have something that I didn't have... for the hard work, experience and perhaps talent that I have... they had something else. They had a dream, a passion, a vision for the future... I did not know it then, but I know it now.'_

_Clenching her fist, Kusonoki rested it on her chest even as Haruka looked at her uncertainly, unsure if that was the answer she was searching for as well._

_'I... found a reason for myself, something for me to work towards to... and that one thing is the reason that I am not the Kasuga Kusonoki from three years ago. I was lacking that and I was unable to answer your question then, three years ago when you said you wanted to be the first, to take over the dojo... I didn't give you a reason why you couldn't... but now I can.'_

_Lowering her eyes, Kusonoki remembered the promise she made with Katsuragi, that would have been lost forever if she hadn't recovered her memory._

_'I cannot allow you to be come the first, the best... or whatever that you wish to take from me. I... I refuse to give in on the fact that you do not have a compelling or strong enough reason to match my wish. The wish, and vision that I got from him, from Katsuragi... That is the reason I do not give up, Haruka...'_

_And yet, Kusonoki never raised her hands up in that same ready position that she had been holding up for so long. Her breathing had stabilized, the throbbing pain in her arms and body seemingly numbed by her own words. The same words that had been spoken by him to her so many weeks back but it still had the same effect on Kusonoki._

_That dream, that wish of hers was good enough and strong enough for her to justify her actions right here, right now._

_Without something similar to justify her own actions, Kusonoki would not let Haruka take him from her._

_'And that's why, you can't have him, Haruka... you can never try to gain Katsuragi. Not until I fully complete my style and make it as cute as I can!'_

_The sudden switch of topic was another blow to Haruka whose eyes widened in a comical fashion before she looked at her own hands in what seemed to be disbelief._

_'W... What? Is... that your reason? Is that why you won't quit?'_

_'Yes... that's the reason I never back down, I won't ever back down... even in defeat I will never lose sight of what I see in front of me, the promise that I've made... It's... that simple.'_

_Kusonoki sighed when to her surprise, Haruka dropped to her knees just like a puppet who had its string severed and just sat there, murmuring to herself. Kusonoki paused before slowly walked over to Haruka's sitting form._

_It really was that simple and Kusonoki was happy that it was as such. Sure, it might be anti-climatic and it might be a childish wish but it was a wish made with all her heart and with all of her belief._

_It was something that was made together with her other-self and with Keima together, on the day that she herself had changed for the better._

_And it was right now, when she was finally able to tell Haruka this, that she had a reason for not giving up, for not just admitting and submitting to the other girl's wish; it was now that she was able to tell her exactly what was the difference between the two of them._

_'You and I, perhaps we share the same dream, I... do not know whether that is true but what I do know is that you do not believe in yourself as as much as I believe in myself, Haruka. If you did, there was no way that you could have lost.'_

..

_It was such an anti-climatic, not to mention inexplicable turn of events that Kusonoki was a little sceptical of her and what she was doing now. Keima had told her that Haruka was the best liar he had ever met before and she held back a little till she saw that all the fight had gone out of her._

_Well, the whole event had been unbelievable to begin with and... it was a relief to see an end to this, even if it the 'ending', like what Keima called it, was just as surprising as how it had began._

_Thinking back, it had all begun when she had lied to Keima about not recognizing Haruka when she really did want to make amends for what had happened three years ago._

_'T-That's not fair... Kusonoki-sempai... Wh-why can you have...why must you...'_

_Haruka was unable to croak out the right words to express herself and Kusonoki wasn't sure that she could either in her shoes. Apparently Keima said that it was something about having the fundamental truth of her whole core of being challenged by her statement._

_Or something similar, Kusonoki wasn't sure what Keima was talking about half of the time when he gets into his lecture modes anyway._

_But what was clear was that Haruka was at least not attacking her now and she knelt down to rest a hand on her shoulders, trying to comfort her junior, someone who she thought would be a great friend of her... and might still be one, as Haruka reached out to hug Kusonoki suddenly, wrapping her hands around her body and squeezing her tightly._

_'Sempai... what should I do? … I... I like Katsuragi-sempai too... b-but... … I... I don't know what's right any more... what I should do, what I could do to make him notice me again... he said that I was lying... and it's true, isn't it? That I've been lying to him, to sempai, to Minami... everyone... everyone else... I've been …'_

_'You've been a bad girl, Haruka... but it's alright to start over again.'_

_'… T-That's...'_

_Haruka was surprised by how quickly Kusonoki could tell her that and she looked up at her before softly muttering to her._

_'G-Gomen.'_

_'… Hmm?'_

_'I'm... sorry, Kusonoki-sempai... for... a lot of things...'_

_Smiling awkwardly at Kusonoki, Haruka winced a little when Kusonoki dried her tears with her sleeve, the older girl sighing while nodding in understanding._

_'… I'm sorry too, for many things... I... guess, we just couldn't... find the courage to admit that we were both wrong, in many accounts.'_

_'… But can sempai... really forgive me?'_

_'Which sempai, Haruka? Hmm?'_

_Cracking a joke for once, the two girls were oblivious to the two invisible forms as they chased the Weiss that had separated from Haruka during the confession between the two of them._

* * *

..

..

'It really is something simple.'

Keima remarked as he sipped some tea that Elsi had prepared for the three of them. It had been quite an eventful day, especially so since this particular 'capture' had only taken a few days to complete, a record! But in another sense, the seeds for this event and sequence of events had been sowed three years ago, something that was totally out of his control.

'We can say that she was in the wrong place at the wrong time for her to be possessed by the Weiss... or could we say that it was an inevitability for this event to trigger? Either way... the rate of progression for the Weiss's strength was unprecedented... but I'm glad to see that the two of you were able to contain it.'

It had been a tough battle, the unseen and un-thanked battle between Elsi, Haqua and the Weiss had taken place all over the school and it was only when they finally managed to cram that Level 4 Weiss into the Capturing Bottle did Keima give a sigh of relief.

'But you were the one who made the Weiss stronger, weren't you? What with you rejecting her...'

Looking a little miffed as she drank the tea, Haqua thanked Elsi who sat down patiently beside Keima.

'Kami-Onii-sama always has a reason for doing things, neh, Kami-Onii-sama?'

'Affirmative... the Weiss would have gotten stronger without me interfering... I just made the transition much more controlled. I've mentioned this before, but she was a closet Yandere in the first place... That made the process even more dangerous if I dragged it out.'

'STOP WITH THE EXCUSES! TELL ME WHAT IT IS ABOUT!'

Keima watched as Haqua turned red and apologized for her outburst, explaining that dealing with a Level 4 Weiss was difficult, much more difficult than she had ever imagined and she was comforted by Elsi, who nodded her head and said that if not for Haqua, it would be totally impossible for her alone.

'So Kami-Onii-sama... tell Haqua and me, what was the gap in Haruka-chan's heart neh?'

'Endless longing.'

'Huh?'

It was a surprising statement and Keima sighed before sipping his tea.

'Endless longing. That was the gap in her heart. She... technically had a gap in her heart ever since that incident... but nothing had set her off till now. When she saw Kusonoki being attached to someone else. To her, everything began from that day, three years ago and it only ended when Kusonoki was finally truthful to her. She... wanted something to cling on, something to believe in... and it was twisted to that obsession of being first. Ever, forever reaching for that unattainable 'first' that she saw in Kasuga Kusonoki. I... or we, would never know when she started obsessing about Kusonoki, about her and what she stood for... but that was the gap in her heart. That endless longing to be recognized by Kasuga Kusonoki and perhaps everyone else.'

'… Is that... really the truth now, Katsuragi?'

Looking sceptical at how he seemed to have pulled that statement from nowhere, Haqua groaned when Keima just shrugged.

'A woman's heart is full of mystery... reasons that might never make sense... that is why the _**real**_is such a mess... As compared to the **world/ideal**, it is a much more complicated, compelling and mysterious thing... And that is why...'

Keima paused before smiling and pointing towards the sight of Kusonoki and Haruka together, the younger girl having jumped at the more senior one to display her affection. Keima asked Haqua whether it was worth it in the end.

'The end... justifies the means... am I right? The ending might be confusing, the reasons might escape us... the after effects might sometimes haunt us...'

Pushing his glasses up again, Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God **smiled while shrugging his shoulders.

'The gap in her heart is filled by her words, the one person who had started this saga in the first place. Sincerity can just a match for love... you were the one who told me that, weren't you? That there are other ways to fill a person's gap in the heart.'

Haqua blinked and nodded her head in agreement, there were many ways to do that but she had been so used to Keima's preferred way of love that she had totally forgotten about that. Not to mention scandalized at how Keima would even resort to that.

'I'm not resorting to it.'

Keima seemed to have read her mind as he berated Haqua, turning to Elsi even as she bit her lip, wondering what to say.

'… Regardless... Kami-Onii-sama did get the Weiss out, neh? That's all that matters! And I am very happy that Kasuga-san and Haruka-chan are best friends again!'

The relationship between the two of them had been repaired, quite amicably at that despite Haruka's memories being rewritten.

She had simply confronted Kusonoki about her relationship with him and had made up after that. A simple and perhaps elegant way to end a particularly taxing capture for him.

Keima would never admit it but he had been tempted to throw in the towel of this capture more than once despite his promise to the captured girls. To think that he would have to save this girl... the perfect anagram of what he hated and despised in the **real** was enough to make him sick.

But to his credit as well as testament to his experience as the **Capturing God**, he saw a plausible loophole in the ending right at the last moment. There was no doubt that it was possible for him to liberate the Weiss by making her fall in love with him and thus cementing a real, solid reason for her to be number one. At the expense of reusing a line from Ayumi's capture of course but he digressed.

It would be... an insult to Ayumi and to him if he were to do that, considering Ayumi's capture and the circumstances which lead to it. Keima desperately wanted an alternative to the situation and he found one in the most unlikely of places.

There were roughly 100+ games with a similar concept of jealousy, attachment from a minor character to an 'ojou-sama' archetype character and Keima treated Kureha Haruka in the same manner.

She was a 'heroine' yes, but she could be one of the 'side-characters' of all.

Not that... he'll ever admit that out loud.

Ah... she was perhaps one of his least favourite captures of all...

* * *

..

..

_'Neh,Kusonoki-sempai! Is it alright if I ask you a question?'_

_'… Of course, what is it, Haruka?'_

_Looking at her junior fondly, Kusonoki made sure that Minami wasn't too distanced as the younger girl was a little bewildered at the chain of events and she decided that she would fill her in later on when there was time._

_To be honest, it was a great development to see her junior back on good a relationship with her and Kasuga Kusonoki was feeling very light-headed and happy at how it had ended up in the end._

_'Do... you believe in being friends with members of the opposite sex? Neh neh, like with a boy!'_

_It was a question that she didn't really expect to be asked, least of all by Haruka but with Minami smiling knowingly to herself, blushing to boot. Kusonoki had to struggle to keep a straight face as she asked her why she asked that._

_'Well... I was thinking... well... it's embarrassing to admit it but... I think that I'll be very jealous of any one that Kusonoki sempai was seeing... so I would like to know that!'_

_'Know... if it's possible to be friends with a boy? What brought that on?'_

_Kusonoki couldn't help but laugh at the oddly phrased comment but she saw how serious Haruka was with that statement and she sighed before considering her answer._

_It was a very odd question, but a question that held many significant points in her life. Was she friends with the men that frequent her dojo? What about the classmates in her class? Do they count too? But she had the feeling that Haruka was referring to Katsuragi Keima, which suited her fine._

_'… It is possible, yes.'_

_She nodded firmly but then made Haruka pale when she said that it might not apply to all of them though._

..

_'There are people, boys who I am interested in after all. Even if it doesn't really stick.. I, am a girl after all too.'_

_Closing one eye and winking at Minami, who giggled and nodded in agreement._

_'EHH?! B-But!? S-So that was true after all! Sempai! Sempai! W-Wait, don't run! Sempai! I must know!'_

_Kusonoki swore that she could hear her other self, the girlish version of her giggling as well, as she started running away from Haruka before she could recover from that response, just like any other school girl would._

_'Haruka! Sempai is a girl too, even if she might not show it so often~'_

_Hitting Minami lightly on the head when she said that out loud, Kusonoki laughed lightly as Haruka caught up with the two of them and started pouting._

_'T-Then it's... … I'll go be friends with Katsuragi-sempai too then!'_

_'W-Wha?'_

_'H-Haruka!'_

_'Hmph! And then maybe... maybe we'll be more than friends after that!'_

_Was it starting again? Kusonoki shivered when Haruka seemed amused at that thought but just as soon as it had started, Haruka smiled and laughed, telling them that she was just joking._

_'Somehow... I think that Katsuragi-sempai... would not like me at all... I... I wonder why... neh?'_

..

..

* * *

..

_**Author's Notes: Honestly, this story... and in relation, Kureha Haruka was difficult to write. In every sense of the word.**_

_**I can compare it to Sorrel's Teasing in it's difficulty as it has a lot of negativity in the story itself.**_

_**Kureha Haruka, was one character that I thought would be a minx, someone that would try and seduce Keima at the initial draft and it ended up like this, which I think was okay overall.**_

_**The entire arc has negativity written all over it and it started getting really bad a few chapters before this.. and to be honest, I had to seriously consider whether it was worth the effort.**_

_**Thankfully, Haruka had a last minute gasp from who else but Kasuga Kusonoki, which to date is still the only heroine in canon to finish a capture, in this case the capture of Hinoki. So.. it's a great homage to Wakaki Tamiki sensei as well as to the series in general, at least I think it is!**_

_**I like Haruka, she is my OC after all but in all of honesty, my opinion of her is the same as Keima, I... can't help but dislike her just a little.**_

_**But reality is like that, there are people who are good and people who are bad.**_

_**There are still some loose ends, like how Haruka made up with the swimming club and all that.. but in general, the ending itself showed another aspect of Keima, desho?**_

_**Although only God knows how it ended up like that. Honest.**_

_**I mean.. ENDLESS LONGING?! Oh god, those two words still make me squirm a little at how I explained it... Did I do a good job there? If I didn't, please tell me... if I did a good job, tell me too.. that would mean ALOT to me.**_

_**If this ever makes it to the light of day, it'll have to be due to the dedication of my betas, AKAAkira and Wolf's Honor. The former being one of my greatest reviewers and the other as a person who we share similar hobbies and dedications to.. so yeah, they are pillars of support for me.**_

_**In another corner is kaiser dude, who at this point SHOULD have been done with Azalea Side. If he hasn't, that means that it has dragged on again... ugh!**_

_**Lastly, to highlight the change in the OC as the story progressed, the ending was never going to be like this.**_

_**AKAAkira did a GREAT job with this as he made a lot of recommendations that improved the flow and the impact of the story.**_

_**Without him, it would never be as good as it is now.**_

_**Even if I'm disappointed I couldn't put as much silliness as I want into the story, but it's irrelevant, really. The story is what that matters.**_

_**It was never intended for Haruka to be linked with Kusonoki at all, instead she would be captured by Minami instead... so this ending was a totally surprising end even for me. Tell me if I did something wrong, my standards have been dropping or etc! Just tell me, something!**_

_**But to sum all of it up~ the final part of Kureha Haruka's story... THE STATISTICS!**_

* * *

_**Kureha Haruka**_

_**Occupation: The NUMBER ONE!**_

_**Birthday: 29**__**th**____**February**_

_**Class: Junior High: Class 3-C**_

_**Blood Type: AB-**_

_**Height: 163cm**_

_**Weight: 48kg**_

_**Three-Sizes: 82-62-85**_

_**Likes: Hanging out with Friends, Being Number One! Trying new things**_

_**Dislikes: Doing the same thing over and over again. Revising for exams!**_

_**Recent Troubles: Now that Sempai and I are going to graduate... what would become of the Female Karate Club then?!**_

* * *

_****_**Author's Notes: Up next would be the interlude, I hope you enjoy that branch of silliness!**


	36. Interlude II: A Mother's Visit

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 36: Interlude II: A Mother's Visit**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Like mentioned earlier, school started! So it's like, Work + School = Less time. But updates will continue per normal for a while.**

**Thank you, ****_AKAAkira_**** for the beta-edits as always.**

* * *

**..**

To say that Katsuragi Mari was excited was an understatement; it was to be a first in many ways. Her first Parent-Teacher conference together with Elsi and Keima! She had missed out on last year's visit due to Keima reporting sick for that day, and she had looked forward to that for such a long time too!

But as her child wasn't able to make it, there wasn't a reason for Mari to be there as well... so this year, seeing that Elsi was going to be there, Keima had nary a choice but to be present as well.

Though that's what Keima admitted but Mari thought that he wanted to go nonetheless as he was on the phone for quite a while, a first for Keima never used his cellphone at all prior to this day.

There were times that Mari suspected that he really had a relationship with a girl like so many boys of his age and a year ago, it would have shocked her to death to think that Katsuragi Keima, her son, would be like any ordinary boy his age.

It would be a big relief and a huge load of her mind if he really did that. she wouldn't even mind if Keima married Elsi, as shocking as it might seem, for Mari had very big reservations as to how Keima would survive in the world once he graduated from high school.

She had aspirations and dreams that he would outgrow this phase, that this obsession with games would disappear with age but she had her hopes dashed too often to believe in that easily.

That was, until she met those three girls in his life, Kujyo Tsukiyo, Yoshino Asami and Fuse Aoba, both decent and normal school girls who had apparently had quite a good friendship with her son. Well, the last girl seemed to be a perfect fit for him, even if Mari had some reservations about her in particular. But Asami especially was quite attached to him indeed, seeing that she still dropped by often to walk Keima to school.

So her son was a player, just like how his father was. Like father like son huh?

Ordinarily Mari would be mad but she was just relieved that Keima had some hope left in him.

..

Back to the topic in question, this was the long awaited Parent-Teacher conference that had been scheduled at the start of the semester and just before the Mai-High Festival, something which the school organized to help the parent get a clearer picture of how their children were doing in school.

Grades wise, Keima gave Mari no worries at all, he was constantly at the top of his level, a genius son... if one minuses the games that he was playing all the time and his anti-social behaviour. She reckoned that she'll get plenty of that comments later on as she met with his teachers.

Elsi on the other hand... wasn't doing so well. She's barely above the passing grade, which wasn't that surprising considering how air-headed Elsi was at times. She was glad that Keima and Elsi stuck together; one day she'll be taken advantage of but Mari knew that her big brother was there to take care of her.

He might not look like it, but Keima was surprisingly very protective of Elsi; he would always know what she needed, be there to offer some advice in a cynical tone but advise nonetheless and more than anything else, Keima treated Elsi like family, never taking her for granted and paying attention even when he was not.

That was what made Mari felt that Keima still had some hope left in him just yet.

..

'Oka-sama!'

Hearing her daughter call her, Mari hurried with the last brushes of her eyebrow pencil before calling her back from her room.

'Coming, Elsi-chan!'

It was odd, really, how she felt nervous meeting with his and Elsi's teachers, but Mari did her best to suppress her nervousness as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was perfect, so was her clothes, a blazer that she wore for special occasions... and her makeup wasn't too fancy for Keima to nag at her.

You would think that he'd be happy that she was going to meet his teachers! But he really wasn't...

Stepping out of the room with time to spare, Mari saw Elsi waiting for her eagerly outside the room with Keima nowhere in sight and she sighed. Figures... he's probably gaming somewhere right now.

'… We'll be late.'

His voice made her jump a little in surprise and she turned to see Keima leaning against the door to his room, PFP still in his hands though but looking up at her with a sense of... anxiety?

'… We're first in line to meet our sensei... we should be going now.'

He certainly was anxious... what was that about? Was he nervous too?

* * *

..

_'… You.. what?'_

_Looking at Elsi in disbelief, so shocked was he that he almost dropped his PFP in shock as Elsi repeated what she had said._

_'I submitted our names for the Parent-Teacher conference this Friday.'_

_'W-WHAT?! ELSI!'_

_Raising his voice, Keima looked as though he was about to whack her on her head but stopped himself when faced with the disapproving looks of Asami Yoshino as well as Takahara Ayumi, the two classmates and 'friends' of the two of them looking as though they would intervene, physically too if Keima dared lay a hand on Elsi._

_Not that he would ever do so as he shook his head, crossed his arms and just huffed angrily while Elsi just looked at Ayumi and Asami in confusion. Funny, she didn't even seem scared now... was she no longer intimidated by him? Or had she finally gotten a measure of how he really felt? That scared Keima for some reason._

_'Did I do something wrong?'_

_The younger demon smiled when Ayumi and Asami both reassured her that she was not in the wrong and the person that was in the wrong was Keima, causing him to snarl a little at getting involved in someone else's problems._

_'Yes... it wasn't mandatory... so why did you even do that? You know what Nikaido has to say about me... not to mention I'm sure that she has a lot to say about your grades, Elsi.'_

_Keima smirked a little when Elsi paled as she realized that. When Asami started giggling a little the two of them looked surprised so she made a comment as she ran her hands through her hair._

_'… Gomen, but I... I never realized that the two of you were so close until now... Well... It is a little rude to say that... but I guess the two of you, are really family, neh? I wouldn't have believed it on the first day Elsi transferred to class!'_

_'Mm! I agree with Asami! Keima is usually so aloof and in his own world that we felt bad for Elsi-chan... but that's not the case neh?'_

_'Mm... I guess we were just worried for nothing.'_

_They were smiling as Elsi just blushed and shook her head, telling them that they did get along well together._

_'Like how I helped Kami-Onii-sama wash his bac-'_

_'That's enough, thank you for your explanation, Elsi.'_

_Interrupting her as the two girls raised an eyebrow at what Elsi had almost said out loud, Keima gave a sigh of relief as the two girls dropped it in the end._

_'Well... I guess that means that... I can see Keima's mother too then!'_

..

_'!?'_

_As Keima was drinking some water, he had to fight hard not to choke on his drink as Ayumi mentioned with a bright smile._

_'My family is coming by too! They want to see my coach, so it's a great opportunity for our family to be acquainted!'_

_Ayumi was being very daring today, her face was covered with a red hue but she still managed to make it sound natural as she smiled slyly at Asami, challenging the other girl as she just turned red at the implications._

_'A-Ah... Ah...'_

_As expected, she wasn't able to make any headway into the conversation even as Ayumi counted her blessings while Keima counted his misfortune._

_'… Tsk...'_

_He knew that it was just one of those days indeed. Elsi could have surprised him at home but instead she dropped this news down on him just like that! How was he going to go through this without making everything even more complicated? It was a challenge even for him, seeing that his mother has the tendencies to... be like a mother._

_'… Kami-Onii-sama? Is something wrong?'_

_There was so many things wrong with the situation that Keima didn't know where to start but he would be just nitpicking if he say that now._

_'… I hope you're happy, Elsi.'_

_'Mm... I am, Kami-Onii-sama! Now I can get Oka-sama to meet everyone too!'_

_TSK! If she doesn't get what's wrong, how was he going to get out of this situation?!_

_**The Capturing God**__, Katsuragi Keima sensed a mass disturbance in the force, something that he cannot stop at all._

_'… Such... misfortune.'_

* * *

..

'Ah, gomen, gomen... It has been a while since I've gone out with the two of you so...'

Mari smiled happily even as Elsi nodded her head in agreement at that. The last time the three of them had gone out together was during their visit to Keima's grandparents' home during the middle of summer break and ever since then, the three of them had not gone out together at all.

Of course, it's not like they were unable to eat together, one of Mari's rules was that all of them had to be present for dinner together unless they called back to say they couldn't make it for some reason.

So it really was nothing special so to speak, but it was really the first time that the three of them had gone to school together, a place where they were familiar with and Mari was estranged with.

A place where they spent the majority of their days in, a second home away from home if one can call it and Mari was lying if she said that she wasn't looking forward to perhaps meet with a few of their friends as well.

Especially Keima's friends as Mari had heard a lot about Elsi's friends, especially those in her band, the 2B Pencils. Those girls, Takahara Ayumi, Kosaka Chihiro, Terada Miyako and Guido Yui seemed liked nice girls and it would be a pleasure to meet them for the first time.

There were times that Mari asked if she would be willing to bring them over before remembering that Keima was home as well. It... wasn't that she was embarrassed about Keima but she knew that it wasn't a very conducive location at all to practise if he was around and since Elsi never seemed to bring that up, despite being on several slumber parties with the others, Mari left it at that.

..

Not that she would ever give up on that dream, mind you!

There was another thing to note and that was a small promise that she had made with a particular acquaintance of her son, the girl named Kujyo Tsukiyo.

The delicate, petite and so adorable girl was a common guest in the café as Mari had the tendency to allow her to try one of her newer creations or to join her in a spot of tea.

She was a unique one as she was the first person of the opposite sex that was officially introduced as a friend of Keima's and Mari treated her like a priceless treasure.

Sure, Keima didn't exchange many words with her and compared to Asami, who came by every day to walk with him to school. But Keima did have a cup of tea with Tsukiyo willingly whenever he did spot her in the café.

She was a regular too, occupying the same booth so often that she was practically living there and was part of the scenery now.

In a way, Keima visiting Tsukiyo after school was like a tradition except on some days where she wouldn't be around. Mari really didn't really know what to make of their relationship, were they more than just friends? Did they share a relationship together?

At least, Mari didn't think that was possible as they were cool about their relationship, speaking softly and perhaps about nothing in particular when she tried to eavesdrop, discreetly of course!

It was odd... but if the two of them were happy that way, she wasn't going to complain at all, mind!

That said, Mari knew that Tsukiyo was at least a little interested in Keima as the cute girl did perk up quite a bit whenever she saw Keima heading over to her.

..

But this wasn't about Keima and her, it was about a small promise made between Mari and Tsukiyo herself...

She had asked her about the Parent-Teacher conference after knowing about it from Elsi and to her surprise, Tsukiyo had been quite evasive about it, in stark contrast to her usual calm and composed manner in which she replied Mari's questions.

'_… __I haven't spoken to them about it yet...'_

Mari had to visibly fight the urge to hug Tsukiyo, who was very adorable when she was flustered and unsure of herself but she was an adult after all and adults had the right to care about someone younger than them, especially someone who was so cute as Tsukiyo and she had asked her why that was so.

'_I-It's none of your business.'_

Tsukiyo blurted out in reflex but judging from how she blushed while fidgeting in her seat, Tsukiyo was upset at herself for being so rude as she apologized soon after that too.

But It was going to take more than that to drive Katsuragi Mari away now that she was curious and she finally coaxed Tsukiyo to be frank with her.

To be honest, Mari wasn't _that_ surprised to know that Tsukiyo wasn't close with her parents at all.

What with her spending the whole day and evening in the café, alone and aloof with no one else besides Mari, Keima and Elsi. Tsukiyo looked and was the part and poster child of a lonely child without family or friends to reply on.

Again, that was Mari's speculation and it turned out that she was mostly right. Whatever Tsukiyo's relationship with her family was, Tsukiyo's parents wasn't going to the Parent-Teacher conference at all.

That was when Mari suggested something ridiculous; that she didn't mind attending the conference on their behalf.

It was really ridiculous as they were not related at all, friends at most and had the slimmest of ties and most importantly... weren't that close to each other.

Or so she thought..

_'I... I-If you... want to...'_

For some reason, Tsukiyo blushed hard and nodded her head in agreement to that suggestion that Mari just raised as a joke and the surprising turn of events was so that she couldn't reply negatively as well, only nodding numbly as Tsukiyo smiled sweetly back at her in delight.

Did her presence really mean so much to her?

Mari might be missing out on some symbolism here as Tsukiyo kept smiling, blushing all the while as she told Mari that she promised her that she would go.

'A-Ah... if Tsukiyo-chan wants to, I really don't mind.'

That was another thing that she would have to fulfil when visiting Mai-High, an important part of her children's life.

* * *

**Author's Notes: I think that Keima is a little too emotional here. But definitely one of the silliest things I wrote so far.**

**Right, a new poll is up! Please do it!**


	37. Interlude II: A Mother's Visit II

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 37: Interlude II: A Mother's Visit II**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, ****_AKAAkira_**** for the beta-edit as always**

**College blows!**

* * *

..

'Shall we go then?'

Looking quite worried, Keima rushed the two of them down the stairs as he followed suit. He looked quite worried and it certainly wasn't Mari's imagination as Elsi berated him, telling him that it wasn't right to rush them.

'Especially when Kami-Onii-sama was the one who said he wanted to be the first to see the teachers neh~'

With that revealed, Keima seemed more upset than ever as Mari declared that gave her a little more time to look around the school as well.

'After all, I promised Tsukiyo-chan to meet her in school as well.'

Keima certainly seemed to have many things to say about that, him opening and closing his mouth repeatedly like a goldfish out of water. However he lowered his head in the end while sighing in resignation.

'...This is... not my day at all.'

Groaning a little, Mari and Elsi looked at each other in confusion at his words before shrugging and leading Keima towards the familiar route to school.

The parent-teacher conference was scheduled to go on the entire day as there were so many parents and so little teachers, not to mention that there was an option to have a look around school and their clubs as well.

It was like an Open-House to some degree, similar to the Mai-High festival but with a more... academic feel to it, as the focus was more on the student's education rather than their school life.

The upcoming Sports Meet was something similar, but different as well due to how it was more of an break for the students before the exams start. This conference was hinted to be a motivating factor for the students as well, although Keima couldn't see how or why it could be motivating to some students.

'… A school event would surely raise some flags... which is not desirable with the current balance that I have established. Once again, the **real** interferes with me. … Damn Murphy's Law!'

Anyway, the school meet was another event that he has to skip, if possible... although he doubt he really could.

It was still an outreach program and it was heavily appreciated by the parents of the students in Mai-High, especially those who were concerned about their children's performance or in other areas in school.

Not to mention it gave the teachers an opportunity to offer an honest feedback and opinion about how their children had been faring and behaving at school. With that said, the students were undoubtedly more at edge, especially those with a bad disciplinary record like Keima, so it was always a double-edged sword.

Now, Keima wasn't worried at all about how the teachers thought about him, at most he'll just get an earful from Mari. What he _was _worried about were the other people Mari might actually meet during her visit.

Knowing his luck and how the **real** and probably the author hated him, he just knew that she would meet some of _them._

Generally though, the conference an idea that was with its flaws and its merits and was still a recognized part of Mai-High in general.

With the conference going on throughout the entire day, the students had to attend school as always. Although the school itself encouraged the students to be with their parents, there were no doubt a few parents who would wish to not impose on their children and to explore the school on their own.

Taking in the environment and perhaps visit a few of the clubs who they might be interesting in seeing. It was like a mini-rehearsal of the Mai-High Festival timed a few weeks later and in some cases, gave the clubs a chance to refine their performances or displays for the actual thing.

..

'Will Oka-sama be in the school for the whole day?'

This was a question that Keima had been dying to ask for quite some time now, and he winced a little as Mari said that she might be.

'It's not everyday that I get to visit your school! Well... I'll be here for the festival and the sports meet later in the year... but I'd like to walk around a bit to see how the school is like. I'll be sure to visit your club, Elsi-chan!'

Watching Elsi nod in excitement and telling her about how she would be with her band mates in their club room after meeting with their teachers, Keima simply shrugged when Mari asked him what he was going to do today, causing her to frown a little even as she commented on him being too obsessed with his games again.

'Why can't you hang out with your friends or something...'

Mari sighed when Keima commented that his friends were in his PFP after all and she gave up arguing with him on this issue.

It was something that she had known would happen and she just rolled her eyes slightly before turning back to Elsi again, who just smiled awkwardly as she said that Keima was probably in a bad mood today.

'Why's that, Elsi-chan? Wouldn't he be happy that I'll be meeting his teachers? It has been a while since I've heard from them... but since he gets good grades...'

'Grades aren't everything, Oka-sama.'

Elsi quipped without hesitation but even she looked a little awkward as she looked to the side while Keima stressed that Mari should always take what the teachers say with a hint of salt.

This was foreshadowing what Mari would experience later on but right now Mari was oblivious to what Keima meant as they continued on, blissfully unaware of what Keima's reputation at school was.

* * *

..

'Ah... it has been a while since I've been here.'

And it really has been a while, the last time she was here was when she went with Keima to finish the paperwork for him as he had been too lazy to bring the papers to school.

Not that Keima was unable to get through the entrance examinations but that he had never studied at the Middle High section of Mai-High at all. Well, that was in the past and Mari was glad to see that the school was just like how she remembered it to be.

'Let's go, the two of you~'

Smiling happily as she felt her spirits soar, Mari paused when she saw Elsi greeting another person who was walking to school alone, a taller, black-haired beauty that she didn't know and she bowed back to the person who nodded to Elsi.

'Good morning.'

Nodding to her and smiling in greeting as Elsi spoke with her, Mari was confused when Keima seemed a little tenser than usual, standing beside her stiffly like he was hiding from her, and that made her wonder a little at why he was behaving this way.

It's not like Keima was afraid of girls, his interaction with Fuse Aoba had been... too close for comfort, she once caught the two of them lying beside each other on his bed, discussing something while wrestling for control with a PFP.

She had backed away quietly after that and seeing that the two of them didn't bother retorting or screaming back a reply later on, she assumed that there was really nothing going on between the two of them.

Well, Keima didn't really seem 'scared' exactly, he was perhaps a little... apprehensive. Yes, that's the right word for it!

..

_'Good morning Kasuga-san!'_

_'Good morning Elsi-san. I see that you are here early as well. Could that be your mother?'_

_Looking behind her and at Mari, Kusonoki nodded in understanding after Elsi explained that yes, it was her mother and she was here for the parent-teacher conference, at which Kusonoki simply nodded as well._

_'Right, that is today as well... I apologize for being a little... slow in the uptake in the morning, Elsi-san. It's just that I was up all night with Haruka... that child doesn't quit at all and we practised in the forests till late at night.'_

_Elsi really didn't want to know what exactly the two of them were training for, if they had to resort to using the forests, but thankfully Kusonoki didn't continue on that line of thought and instead told Elsi that her parents would be around only later on that day._

_'I will be setting up the Female Karate Club Dojo together with Haruka and Minami so if you have time, please bring your family along with you as well.'_

_She looked very proud of herself and Elsi agreed without thinking, promising that if they have time, they would drop by to have a look._

_'I am grateful to you, Elsi... ah, I should pay my respects to her as well.'_

_Nodding while clapping her hands together, Kusonoki walked to Mari, clapped her hands together and bowed to her respectfully even as she studied the woman. Unlike Elsi, she looked a little... different from Keima and Elsi, like her hair color, was different but Kusonoki nonetheless thought she was a beautiful lady as well. The two of them might have gotten their looks largely from her._

..

'Kasuga desu. Kasuga Kusonoki, it is a pleasure to meet you, Katsuragi-san.'

Her introduction was quick, swift and to the point and Mari smiled appreciatively at her manners, complimenting her on it even as she straightened her back after greeting her.

'It is a pleasure as well, Kasuga-san- ah, is it alright to call you Kasuga-chan? I've heard of you before... but I didn't know that you're a friend of Elsi's as well?'

'Mm! Kasuga-san is my senior, she's a third-year student!'

'Ah, so you must be graduating soon. You're really beautiful... especially your hair~'

Praising her, Mari was surprised to see her blushing terribly with the praises and was playing with her hair uneasily before jumping a little when Mari petted her shoulders.

'You shouldn't be be so worried, Kasuga-chan~ You're really very pretty, don't you think so, Keima-kun?'

Pushing her son forward, Mari was amused to see that the stoic senior turned to putty when Keima just nodded his head, even though his mind wasn't in it and he barely caught a glimpse of her when he looked up. Mari was sure that the girl was conscious of Keima.

With that thought in mind, Mari decided to play around a little to see if her guess was right.

'Kasuga-chan is so beautiful... may I ask if you have a boyfriend?'

The question made Kusonoki freeze immediately and one couldn't tell the difference if someone switched Kasuga Kusonoki with a marble replica at that very instant. She was literally rooted to the spot and then subsequently crumbled, her stoic image broken when Mari suggested that she go out with Keima.

'A-Ahh... Ah, that's a little... I... I guess...'

Kusonoki shot several nervous looks at Keima, who was sighing and shifting his eyes to the side. Mari took advantage of it and just placed her hands on Keima's shoulder firmly while declaring out loud.

'Time won't wait, Keima-kun! And neither should you, Kasuga-chan!~'

Looking at her as she acknowledged that a little meekly, Mari laughed while petting Kusonoki on her head and declaring that it's alright to just say that out loud.

'If you're a woman, you shouldn't be shy! Especially since you were so confident before! If you aren't, it'll be hard to stake your claim, neh?'

'H-Hai! I understand... I apologize for not stating that earlier, Katsuragi-san.'

Bowing to her again, Mari seemed to have earned a lot of respect from Kusonoki and she introduced herself again.

'Kasuga Kusonoki desu. I am indebted to your children, Elsi and Keima... for many things. So it is a great pleasure to meet you at long last, Katsuragi-san!'

It was like a full flat out confession and Mari smiled while Kusonoki realized what had happened and what she had just said out loud.

'A-Ah! Ah... ! I-I'm so sorry!'

Before she could tell Kusonoki that it was alright, Kusonoki had left, taking off faster than she could stop her, causing Keima to mutter to himself softly.

'This isn't a comedy manga... is it?'

'Ara ara... I guess I over did it! Your friends really are interesting, Elsi-chan, Keima-kun!'

'No, it's you who is too _interesting!'_

Keima tried to deadpan but was silenced when Mari's hand was placed over his shoulders, tightening a little till Keima kept his mouth shut again. This was literally coercion but since Mari was having too much fun, he probably _couldn't_ stop her.

'… Such misfortune.'

* * *

..

Mari stepped into the classroom together with her two children, who were understandably nervous about her. It wasn't often that you see Kusonoki being so vulnerable. Heck, she was never vulnerable even to the other _captured girls_ like Fuse Aoba or Kujyo Tsukiyo who had an aura about them, but she was vulnerable when teased by an older woman with more guile about her.

Keima too had severely underestimated the prowess of his mother, something that he didn't even bother to consider and it was a very big miscalculation on his part, again. It seemed like the **real** was really out to get him if his own mother was out to sniff out the truth.

But to be perfectly honest, Katsuragi Mari was really given too little credit by everyone else. Formerly from a biker gang and the leader of one at that, Katsuragi Mari was quite a competent woman with a lot of street-smarts that made it possible for her to run a café by herself, with herself as the sole employee and was quite successful in it as well.

Prior to being married into the Katsuragi family, Mari was living alone fine by herself till she was courted by Keima's father and all was history after that. The key thing to note was that Mari wasn't just a normal biker-gang member, besides street-smarts she attended college/university as well and had qualifications to her name.

That was the reason why she was able to take care of the family by herself without any worries, she wasn't some uneducated housewife at all!

Now that all the misconceptions were dealt with, it had became quite a dangerous situation for Keima, the **Capturing God** as he found herself sitting beside Mari while Nikaido Yuri just studied the two of them closely.

She had been late for the meeting by around 10 minutes and although Keima was fine with that, Mari certainly wasn't and Elsi had to constantly placate her till Nikaido Yuri made her appearance, stepping into office with a rare smile on her face.

Yuri must really be enjoying this moment as she made sure that Keima greeted her as well, something that he hadn't done like since ever, before beginning the lecture.

..

It was as expected, Nikaido Yuri was especially hard on Keima and if he was in her position, he probably would be do the same. His grades aside, his disciplinary track record was probably the worst in the entire school's history, the only reason he got a free pass from the teachers was how he was their top student straight and would still continue to ace the exams.

In that sense, there were two students of that calibre together in the same level. Him and Fuse Aoba and it was perhaps due to their experiences with him did they give her the same free pass as before.

Well, all those were just speculations in his part and it wasn't like him to ponder about such thoughts if not for the fact that he was not gaming right now and was instead forced to listen to Nikaido Yuri nag and complain about how he was behaving in class.

When she got to Elsi, the teacher took a moment to spare a glance at the youngest Katsuragi, who beamed like she hadn't just heard Nikaido Yuri launch big words at her beloved Kami-Onii-sama. Unlike her sullen brother, Elsi's eyes were shining with good and purity and innocence and the stuff that made every girl's dearest dreams come true.

"She's as boring as hell. I ain't helping you there."

Elsi flinched and was tempted to spend the rest of the appointment sobbing in the corner if not for the change in Mari's expression.

Even if she had sensed that, Mari's mood and expression had become unreadable the moment she started going on about his faults.

Well, it's not like he would or could deny her words and so he just allowed his mind to wander a little while considering his options for later.

Another thing to note was that Yuri wasn't mincing her words and was going all out, borderline abusive and a lesser person would be demoralized by being described as thrash, waste of life and an undisciplined person.

'That's enough.'

Mari's two words cut through the entire classroom like a hot knife through butter and at the same time, commanded the attention of almost all the students in the classroom that were together with them.

Keima had motioned for Elsi to make their voices... softer than usual, something which had helped prevent most of the other students and teacher from hearing too much but Mari's voice seemed to break through that raiment's barrier, causing everyone to stare at Mari, Keima, Elsi and Nikaido Yuri included.

'I won't listen to you abusing Keima-kun any more. You might have your perceptions of how a model student might be, but that doesn't apply to everyone!'

Her tone was sharp, harsh but at the same time calm, something that Keima didn't expect of his mother, especially after hearing so many negative things said about her son. In He'd thought that she would be furious she was instead calm... that was certainly odd, seeing that Keima was numb to most of it and Elsi was trying hard not to cry outright at the aura of anger that she was projecting unconsciously.

'If he is not interested in your teachings, that means that your teaching style is inaccurate. Keima-kun is a smart boy and if he can get by without all of your lessons, that must mean that you're not doing your job properly.'

Wow, whoever knew that Mari was so protective over him? Keima was a little embarrassed at the way Mari was defending him even as she clutched his hand tightly.

'It is difficult to teach yes, but my Keima-kun is an obedient person if you tell him to do things the right way and not just tell him to change outright to fit the system. If one system doesn't work, another might... abusing him like this is not fair to him at all.'

'Hmm...'

For her part, Nikaido Yuri wasn't that taken aback by Mari's words as she was at the start, in fact she seemed to be smiling a little deviously even as an obvious part of her head was twitching in annoyance.

Despite all that, she seemed to have retained her sense of humor when she retorted softly.

'Like mother... like son, is that right, Ms Katsuragi? Hmm?'

* * *

**Author's Notes: I get comments that they like this version of Keima more, I suppose seeing him not being in control is funny? I don't understand...**


	38. Interlude II: A Mother's Visit III

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 38: Interlude II: A Mother's Visit III**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's notes: Thank you, ****_AKAAkira_**** for the beta edit!**

* * *

..

'The cheek of that woman!'

Huffing angrily even as she drank a can of juice, her fourth one so far after the heated discussion about teaching techniques for Keima, Katsuragi Mari stretched her hand out to get another can from Elsi when she turned to see that it was Keima who had been handing the cans to her instead.

'Ke-Keima-kun...'

There was an awkward silence between the two of them and who could blame them for that as Mari had just had a huge discussion about him for him and was defending him. In the process probably built up an antagonistic relationship with the teacher, not to mention a bad impression on the other students and family members.

'...Thank you.'

He muttered softly out of the blue as he handed her the fifth can of juice, so quiet was he that Mari thought she was imagining it but imagining it she was not as Keima turned away, not wanting to face her.

'For defending me... although that was totally unnecessary. What she said was the truth.. and something that I've lived with for two years. There isn't a need for you to defend me so vigorously.'

Keima replied curtly while crossing his arms and coldly calculating the scenario and situation in front of him per usual, causing Mari to flare up a little till he commented softly at the end.

'But... thank you, for defending me. Even if it's unnecessary... you're really... Why... would you do that?'

Keima knew exactly why Mari had done that but was trying to stretch the moment a little for her benefit and it worked for Katsuragi Mari, the mother of the **Capturing God** was the same person who had given him a portion of her genes as well.

'As I'm a mother, Keima-kun, your mother~'

* * *

..

Keima escaped relatively quickly after that confession between the two of them and Mari couldn't help but smile as she knew that the bond between mother and son got a little bit better after that. It was rare for him to show any signs of closeness with her and she cherished each moment like that as it was precious.

It was the bond between them that made them family after all, right?

Looking around, Mari caught sight of Elsi speaking with yet another girl, this time one that she recognized for it was the girl that she had just thought about, Fuse Aoba.

'Ah, isn't this...'

Greeting the two of them with a smile, Mari waved Elsi's apologies away even as Aoba greeted her in the same way as usual, with a small bow on that emotionless face. Fuse Aoba, one of Keima's most... common 'playmates' and the one girl that Mari had serious reservations about as she was someone that actually was encouraging Keima to get more obsessed with his games.

It was a pity at that, she had been quite excited to see Keima inviting someone over for a change and she knew that he had been over to her home on a few occasions as well. This was rare, a girl who Keima was actually interested in and who reciprocated those actions openly and proudly even.

That excitement was short-lived when she realized that Fuse Aoba was practically a clone of Keima only in that she was a girl. Even so, she was a very smart and obedient one so she didn't have many complaints about her besides the fact that she was a gamer like Keima.

As she had always treated her with respect and was polite as well, Mari had a very amicable relationship with her. Not that she would ever want to see her with Keima... or did she? She knew that Keima would have no problems going out with her after all.

'It's Aoba-chan isn't it? It's nice to see you here as well.'

'Yes, Mari-san... I am glad to see you as well. I see that you've finished your conference with Elsi's teacher.'

She was as emotionless as always, but Aoba did get to the point quickly though so that was a plus and Mari nodded in agreement to her words even as Elsi asked her where did Keima went.

'Kami-Onii-sama said that he wanted to talk with Oka-sama so I left.. is he mad?'

Looking a little apprehensive, Elsi turned to Aoba who just sniffed a little while shaking her head.

'No doubt that Katsuragi-san or Mari-san had triggered a flag and he went ahead to resolve it... I can surmise that from the way that Elsi wasn't quite happy with what had happened earlier.'

Looking a little proud of herself, Aoba nodded even as Mari sighed while nodding her head. There were always some... flaws that would happen when one was too clever, Aoba can learn to be a little more tactful though.

'But from how Elsi wasn't too upset, I think that overall, one of them had settled the situation amicably... well, at least made it so that it didn't hurt too much, isn't that right, Elsi?'

Petting Elsi's head, Aoba seemed to have some tact after all as Elsi nodded and smiled a little back at her.

'So don't worry, Elsi... he might be brooding a little somewhere, but he is fine.'

'Aoba-chan's right, you should know Keima-kun more than anything else desho? He's not someone who would-'

"Let something like that get him down."

The two of them said so at the same time and this caused Aoba and Mari to giggle a little before the stoic Aoba returned to her normal self and fell silent again, her hands twitching, probably wishing to hold her PFP even as Mari asked her why she was here.

'My parents are here speaking with my teacher as well. It... would not go well, Katsuragi-san and I are in the same boat.'

It was a surprise to Aoba that her parents would even come down to the conference, seeing that they were not very attentive to her needs or what she liked for a long time now since she brought 'dishonour' to their name for appearing in that magazine interview. Still, seeing that Mari was here as well, Aoba knew that it wasn't just a coincidence and perhaps Keima was right all along, the **real** was really against them after all.

'It'll be fine.'

Mari spoke suddenly while sitting standing beside the two of them, who were leaning against the corridors of the second floor before she continued while looking at the two younger girls. They were unlike her when she was young and that was a good thing, she wasn't sure if they would be able to take the environment she grew up in anyway.

'You're their daughter, parents always accept their children... so you don't need to worry about that.'

Winking at Aoba, Mari was a little confused when Aoba looked a little torn between laughing and speaking before deciding to go for both by snorting a little in laughter.

'I apologize... but I'm not worried about that at all... But thank you, for your words, Mari-san.'

As Mari nodded back in reply, Aoba spotted something or someone behind Mari before nodding and walking towards there.

'They should be waiting for me now... but before I go... perhaps I should introduce that person to you, Mari-san.'

Aoba smiled a little while walking into the classroom and she pulled another stunned girl out of it. That girl bowed to her after a moment's hesitation while looking at Aoba uncertainly.

'This is Shiomiya Shiori, she too, is an acquaintance of Katsuragi-san... She has been hiding in the classroom all the time but she would like to meet you as well, Oka-sama~...'

Smirking a little as she stretched that last word a little longer than she had to, Mari watched as the new girl, Shiomiya Shiori turned redder than ever before bowing to her silently again.

Mari didn't miss what Aoba had called her earlier but she was too distracted by the fact that here was yet another girl that was an acquaintance of Keima.

How many 'girl friends' did he have now?! Shd has not even seen a single guy friend of Keima's so far! Was he really a player? And such a good one at that!

'S-Shiomiya... desu...'

The girl in question spoke softly before bowing to her and smiling a little awkwardly while holding a book in her hands.

..

Unlike Aoba or any of the other girls that she had met thus far, Shiomiya Shiori was a very timid girl, far more than even Asami was and it made Mari feel a little sympathetic of the girl as she walked over to Mari and Elsi, the latter greeting her friend with a big smile.

'Ohayo, Shiori-chan!'

'So Elsi-chan does know her... Shiomiya Shiori... is it?'

It wasn't hard to imagine that Mari was having a difficult time remembering the names of the girls that were popping up like rabbits in front of her. But this girl, Shiori was different than Kusonoki, one could say that she was the exact opposite of Kusonoki so... in a way she was memorable as well. It was thankful that Shiori was introduced after Kusonoki as Mari admitted apologetically that Shiori was indeed easily forgettable as she sat beside Elsi and wasn't able to say any more words.

'…'

The awkward silence continued even as Shiori seemed to shrink under her gaze and seeing that she was so nervous, Mari needed to be... sensitive with her words as well. Mari was an individual who was more energetic than one would give her credit for, despite her homely and warmth exterior, she was the leader of a biker gang in the past after all!

Being the life of a party was in her blood and she really didn't know what to do about this quiet girl who seemed happy just to meet her. Wait, why did she want to meet her anyway?!

'Shiomiya-chan... desu ka?'

'H-Hai... S-Shiomiya desu...'

Replying almost instantly, Mari saw Shiori taking a huge breath before releasing it, supposedly to keep herself calm and she smiled before reaching out to pet her hair softly in response.

'You wished to meet me, why's that?'

It was something that she just had to know and Mari blinked when Shiori muttered that there really wasn't a real reason for her to do so.

'I... just want to meet, Katsuragi-san's...mother... is-is that wrong?'

Her question was phrased uncertainly and Mari smiled while shaking her head and answering her.

'No, it's not wrong... but it's still odd... Why would you wish to meet an acquaintance's mother? Isn't that odd? I... mean, I wouldn't want to meet Shiomiya-chan's mother, of course, no disrespect to her as well.'

Closing her eye in contemplation, Mari wasn't that surprised to hear Shiori saying that Keima wasn't just an acquaintance to her.

'Katsuragi-san... is... someone important to me.'

She was able to say it out with a straight face without blushing too hard and Mari couldn't help but smile and giggle back when Shiori realized what she had said out loud to her.

But she persevered and soldiered on despite her embarrassment at admitting that out to her. In hindsight, Shiori shouldn't be too... worried as Mari wasn't surprised by this turn of events after meeting Kusonoki and some of the other girls.

Katsuragi Keima was someone special to them and out of all the boys in school, her son had to be the one person who had so many girls interested in him. She really wasn't sure what to feel about the situation but in a way, it made her a little proud to be her mother.

Whatever Keima had done to gain the affections of the girls that were not trying to get to know her, it was probably something good and something so important that warranted their strong affection to him for them to actively seek her out to know more about her in general.

Now, Mari knew that they were probably trying to win points but it was something that she didn't really mind.

Not when they were at least sincere about it, no, it was totally not about how amusing it might be to tease them as well. No, she wanted to know more about them, the potential partners of her son.

That was the truth, most of it anyway.

..

'Mm~~ Well, Shiomiya-chan, I'm sure that you have your reasons for liking Keima-kun... but to protect the privacy of the both of you, I won't ask why... all I wish to tell you is this.'

Smiling as she petted Shiori's head, Mari knew that this girl had to muster up a lot of courage to even be able to meet her like this. Impromptu and a little rude it might be, but even so she gave her a free pass.

Unlike Kasuga, who was unable to stand the teasing, she must be a little indecisive about what she felt for her son. Like Aoba, who was very straightforward with _her_ feelings, Shiori was embarrassed but ready to defend her feelings of him to her despite her embarrassment.

That was a point in her favor and although Mari couldn't guarantee that she would win her son's affections, Mari knew where her vote was going to as she seemed like a sincere girl who would be committed to Keima despite his flaws.

That was the main part, 'despite his flaws' as Mari knew that Keima had many flaws within him that were just as numerous as his talents.

Nikaido Yuri's words had not made her happy but they had made sense in many ways and it would be a lie to say that Mari wasn't affected by her comments about Keima.

Amongst all of the girls, Mari believed that the person most able to help Keima would be this girl, Shiomiya Shiori.

It was odd for Mari to decide that all of a sudden but Mari knew that her gut feeling and first impression of Shiomiya Shiori wasn't wrong.

She was not as easily swayed as Yoshino Asami, more truthful about her feelings than Kasuga Kusonoki, had none of the flaws that Fuse Aoba possessed and was more 'normal' than the eccentric Kujyo Tsukiyo.

Shiomiya Shiori was not as normal as one would expect her to be as she had character, a character hiding within that quiet and unassuming girl and Mari knew that it was the quiet ones who were the most vocal on things that really mattered.

Mari had her vote placed firmly on Shiori right now, but would it change in the near future?

'Good luck, Shiori-chan~! You're going to need it!'

..

Mari said her goodbyes to Shiori after a while, who didn't say much at all despite Mari's encouragement, causing the older woman to wonder if Shiori was offended or perhaps didn't get what she was insinuating with her words of encouragement.

But she was sorely mistaken as Shiori reacted when Mari petted her skirt and said her goodbyes to Elsi, who said that she's waiting for a few of her friends.

The quiet girl reached out to hold Mari's sleeve, causing Mari to pause in surprise even as Shiori answered softly to her words earlier.

'Thank you... Katsuragi-san... I will do my best... to make Katsuragi-san... and you... accept me...'

A small smile appeared on her features as she hid her book behind her back, allowing Mari to look at her eyes, determined and focused. A girl who knew what she wanted in life and Mari smiled back in reply.

'Although I shouldn't take sides... but I'll be glad to have you over for dinner one day, Shiori-chan~'

It was the same look that her husband, Keima's father had shown her a long time ago... something that Mari knew could breed success with its presence!

* * *

..

'But this school... is really big.'

Commenting to herself, Mari walked to the main hallway leading towards the canteen. Shiori had kindly provided her with a map of the school when she left and she walked around a bit, taking in the sights of the students walking around with their parents with a small smile on her face.

It had been quite an interesting day so far and although she was a little unnerved at meeting two girls who so obviously had affections for her son, Mari was glad that she had come to school as there were so many things that she had yet to learn about her two children.

She paid attention to Elsi as well, her daughter having good reviews from her other teachers, mostly ranging from how obedient she was and how she really only ought to work on her studies a little and less on helping her fellow students out.

Mari didn't need her teacher's inputs to know that Elsi was a very helpful, cheerful and popular girl in school as there had been plenty of other students who waved or called out to Elsi as they entered school, way too many, and although Mari was a little concerned about there being many boys amongst that number. Mari subsequently hoped that they were all just friends and that's why they were all happy to greet her as well.

Not to earn points like how the girls were... well, Mari could tell that the girls were desperate in their own little way.

Anyone would be, seeing how the girls seemed to know each other as well, from how Fuse Aoba interacted with Shiori earlier... and to think that they were in the same class as well... It was a very complicated web of relationships after all.

Walking towards the shoe lockers, Mari smiled as she ran her fingers on a shoe locker that had her son's name on it. It had been a while since she had a shoe locker and she wondered how Keima would greet each day with this locker.

Perhaps she might even find a love letter there!

'Y-You are...'

Jumping a little as she heard someone call out behind her, Mari turned around to see another young girl, this time one who was blonde and short, with the same steely expression on her eyes like Tsukiyo before that same expression melted away in understanding.

'So... Fuse was speaking the truth... you are, Katsuragi Mari-san... yes?'

* * *

**Author's Notes: Part 3 of 3 different releases this week. Please support my other works too!**


	39. Interlude II: A Mother's Visit IV

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 39: Interlude II: A Mother's Visit IV**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, ****_AKAAkira_**** for the beta-edit, thanks!**

* * *

**..**

'Yes, that's right. I am Katsuragi Mari... and you are?'

Katsuragi Mari, the mother of the **Capturing God** wasn't very picky about manners but she was a little miffed at how the younger girl had a distinct lack of it, she was still staring and studying at her openly. However this thought were wiped from her mind when the girl suddenly curtsied to her, lifting her skirt slightly while crossing her legs.

It was... perfect, so perfect that Mari had to stare as the girl smiled while introducing herself proudly.

'Aoyama Mio. It is a pleasure, Katsuragi Mari-san.'

A smile on her face, her hands reaching up to brush her twin-tailed hair back a little, the girl named as Aoyama Mio paused as Mari scratched her chin while thinking about something.

'That name... Aoyama... I've heard of it before...'

'Hmph, I'm sure that you have. It's a name that commoners always talk about. That's right, I'm the daughter of the great Aoyama-'

'Ah! That's right, you're a friend of Tsukiyo-chan, right?'

Mari's sudden interjection made Mio lose her balance comically while shaking her head.

'That's not it!'

'So you're not Tsukiyo-chan's friend? I did hear her commenting that she would like you to visit Café Grandpa with her too.'

Mari smiled a little wistfully even as Mio frowned before shaking her head.

'No, Kujyo Tsukiyo is my friend... but I do not know what Café Grandpa is... it must be a Café... I suppose Mari-san owns and runs the café by herself?'

Looking a little confused at the revelation, Mio nodded in understanding when Mari said that was so.

'I'll prepare the best cake for you when you come over, Mio-chan! That's right, I've heard of your name, your father is the President of the Aoyama Central Industries neh? I'm sorry for your loss.'

Mari gave Mio an apologetic smile even as she nodded sadly. Mari wasn't too surprised when the girl rebounded almost as quickly as she asked her whether she was done visiting the school today.

'Ah, no... I just came to look at Keima-kun's locker. I wanted to see how he lived life in school... I'm sorry, it must seem odd for a young girl like you.'

Mari laughed a little even as Mio tilted her head in confusion, Mari blinked when Mio said that it was only logical.

'My mother too is curious, she wants to meet my friends in the school...'

'So that's why Mio-chan ran off?'

..

Mari noticed that Mio had changed into her normal shoes instead of the ones that were used in the school and from how Mio was looking guiltily to the side, she was right.

'My my, Mio-chan~ That's not nice... I'm sure that your mother took time off just to see your teacher and your friends.

'I-I know that...'

Like a child who was caught doing something bad, wait, Mio was really just like that! Mari petted her head and held her hand even as she tried to walk away.

'I'm... I'm not a child anymore! Mari-san, let me go! I'm free to do what I want!'

She wasn't throwing a tantrum yet, but she did push Mari's hand away as she tried to walk away.

'I know you aren't a child any more, Mio-chan. That's why I thought you should know about how your mother would feel if you walk away now.'

Playing the guilty card, Mari smiled as Mio stopped walking away and just stood there for a while.

'I'm a mother too, so I too would want to know what my son is doing in school... his friends and what he is doing... even if he might find it a bother, I don't mind... but I'll be lying if I said that I'm not disappointed that he wouldn't show me around... or show me his friends.'

The latter wasn't something that Mari was worried about; seeing that she mentioned Fuse earlier, this Aoyama Mio girl was an acquaintance of Keima as well seeing that she mentioned Fuse earlier.

The former wasn't a problem, she rather liked exploring herself... secret gems like this could only come by if she was alone after all! Keima might stifle and kill the mood with his games anyway!

'… You sound like my mother.'

Mio suddenly blurted out while blushing and she looked to the side uncertainly as Mari just looked startled.

'Well, like I said... I am a mother after all!'

Laughing out loud, Mari didn't know what came over Mio as she rubbed her chin in consideration before nodding in agreement.

'I... I suppose so. You're totally different from Katsuragi.'

Mari knew that she was referring to Keima and she hoped that Mio would say more but to her disappointment, Mio just bowed to her and walked back to her own locker at the end of the row.

'Not that it's a bad thing, Mari-san... but I can't understand how Mari-san... would make Katsuragi to be the person he is today.'

Mio sighed a little while shrugging her shoulders but when Mari was about to say something about that, Mio giggled and said that she doesn't really need to know yet.

'I... I hope that I'll have more opportunities in the future to know more about that.'

Closing one eye and waving good bye, Aoyama Mio made her exit just as abruptly as she came, leaving Mari a little confused at why and how she met her in the first place. It was too short to call a meeting anyway so... why did she meet her?

'I guess... it's her way of saying 'Hello'? Or maybe... she just went back to her mother... either way... Keima-kun has really too many girl friends...'

Smiling to herself, Mari checked her watch and gave a gasp as she realized how long the meeting took.

'Oh no! I'm going to be late!'

* * *

..

'A-Ah! Tsukiyo-chan!'

Spotting her sitting patiently outside of the classroom, Mari panted as she had rum up the flight of stairs by herself when she realized how late it was. Thankfully though her eyes weren't wrong and Tsukiyo was really patiently waiting for her as she got up with no fuss at all while commenting to Mari that she wasn't looking very elegant today.

'Aren't I? Ah... I guess some of my make up did run off a little... Will you wait for me for a while?'

Sitting beside Tsukiyo as she pulled out a mirror to readjust her make-up, Mari asked Tsukiyo if her parents weren't able to make it after all.

'No, I didn't ask them. They would just get into an argument again.'

Tsukiyo answered flatly while brushing her doll, Luna's hair. She did wince a little when Mari said that wasn't the right thing to do.

'Even your parents would want to meet your teachers today, Tsukiyo...'

'But... Mari-san... is like a real parent to me.'

Tsukiyo's frank admission, coupled with her blushing and looking away was enough to make Mari's heart melt and she hugged Tsukiyo immediately, squeezing her with her arms even as Tsukiyo wriggled unhappily in her grasp.

If anything, Tsukiyo had learnt from her constant presence in Café Grandpa was that Katsuragi Mari could be easily distracted with what Fuse Aoba described as 'Moe' expressions from her or any other girls that were deemed 'cute' by her.

It was something that had baffled her a little till Aoba herself had commented to her during one of her visits to Katsuragi's home. That said, Tsukiyo wasn't really particularly fond of Aoba and vice versa, the two of them didn't really like the fact that the two of them were acknowledged by Mari. Together with Asami, the three of them were part of a unique monopoly that knew Mari and were acknowledged by her.

Today was the day where she capitalized on her advantage and from her experience with the date to Disneyland, she would have to ensure that no one else could interfere. What better way than to isolate Mari and her by asking her to come to the parent-teacher conference with her?

It was flawless, well, almost flawless as she didn't expect Mari to be so vocal about her own parents.

'… So please, Mari-san... would you accompany me? I... don't want my teachers to call my parents... so please, could you please stand-in for them as my guardian?'

Now although Mari liked Tsukiyo very much, she was a little reluctant to do so as she would have to lie to Tsukiyo's teacher... that wasn't something she bargained for when Tsukiyo asked her for help.

'… Please! Please, Mari-san! You know... I don't ask for help often... so please.'

Holding her hands and letting Mari hug her as much as she wanted, Tsukiyo smiled when Mari nodded her head at long last, causing the younger girl to hug her back as well.

'Thank you, Mari-san! Thank you!'

* * *

..

'Ano... This... is Mari-san... she's... she's here substituting for my parents...'

Speaking softly to her teacher, Tsukiyo smiled as Mari nodded her head even as the home room teacher looked at her in confusion.

'Ah right, you parents aren't able to make it, aren't they, Kujyo? Well, I guess she'll do... May I know your relationship with Kujyo?'

Looking politely at Mari, Mari wasn't able to reply as Tsukiyo beat the gun and told him that she was like a mother to her as well.

'Someone who is very close to me, so sensei... please don't worry.'

Mari didn't fail to notice how red Tsukiyo's face was and she sighed inwardly, this was a development she should have foreseen. Even if she was just the mother of the **Capturing God **and didn't have the same training that Keima had gone through, Mari was able to fill in the gaps of what had been shown to her by Tsukiyo.

Perhaps she too was drawn in by Tsukiyo to really know what she was going into but if Tsukiyo seemed happy, she shouldn't be too concerned. If Tsukiyo really looked up to her and treated her like a second parent, Mari should continue to support her in her own way as an adult.

So she nodded in agreement, listening to what the teacher had to say about Tsukiyo and her performance in school.

..

'Gomen...'

Saying softly as the two of them exited the room together, Tsukiyo looked up at Mari who had been frowning throughout the entire session. Although the teacher had been quite tactful, he did raise the fact that although Tsukiyo's grades were alright, she did have some issues with her attendance. Specifically, she had the habit of skipping classes on a whim, especially certain classes that she disliked or were on a certain time slot.

_'Academic results aren't all that we are after, we hope that our students grow up to be all-rounded students ready for either the work-force or for further studies. Although Kujyo is an excellent student and her mannerisms carry no fault... she does however need to remember to have restrain when it comes to affairs that she is very passionate about.'_

Basically, Tsukiyo was similar to Keima and their stubbornness and independent nature made them hard to live with, even if Tsukiyo was a very mild case when compared to Keima, whose disrespect for authority took on a whole new level.

'Gomen, Mari-san... for having to listen to all of that...'

Lowering her head again, Tsukiyo blinked and wanted to move away when Mari petted her softly. She didn't deserve this warmth at all! This had been a good opportunity to prove to Mari that she was actually a very diligent girl but in the end it seemed that she had only just showed the exact opposite.

It was enough for Tsukiyo to be reduced to tears but she was a proud and stubborn girl who would not be cowed by something like that, even if she was struggling to keep her tears in check as well.

It wasn't supposed to end up like this but then again, perhaps she herself hadn't gone through all the variables and it had ended up with her faults being pointed out inside of her good points.

'It's okay...'

Mari's reassurances made it even harder and Tsukiyo had to fight the urge to run away as she hugged Luna even harder for comfort. Perhaps her doll was her most and greatest source of comfort after all as it didn't judge her for what she was and what she had done before.

'The teachers were right, Tsukiyo-chan... but I'm sure that Tsukiyo-chan will work hard on those aspects, won't you?'

Smiling as she led Tsukiyo to a seat outside of the classroom, Mari allowed the younger girl to hold her hand as she continued. Ah, to be a parent... there are benefits like this after all! No, no! She should have a better grip on herself and not get carried away.

'As I know that Tsukiyo-chan is a hard working girl, you always work hard but no one praises you, desho? Well, I think Tsukiyo-chan has done well for this semester! Your grades had improved neh? So you have worked hard! I won't criticize you for what you've done wrong as your teacher has already done so.'

Rubbing her hand across her head, Mari was taken aback when Tsukiyo started crying all of a sudden, sniffing as she allowed the tears to pour out like a dam.

It had been years, years since any one had told her that. Had praised her for what she has done, what she has accomplished. Even if it's just a little, even if it's... not very significant and perhaps a little... similar to everyone else, she too wanted praised from someone else.

'There... there... you would say that it isn't elegant at all, wouldn't you, Tsukiyo-chan?'

Helping her to wipe away the tears with a handkerchief that Mari knew she kept in her pockets, Mari soothed Tsukiyo down by allowing her to rest against her shoulder, sniffing and trying to get control of her emotions.

..

From her outburst and break in character, Tsukiyo must have gone on for a long time without her parent's affection or attention for her to break down just by being praised. Mari's maternal intuition could tell that Tsukiyo wasn't sad or upset at her words, it's the intuition of a mother and that she was just happy and relieved about all that happened.

'You'll continue to work hard, right, Tsukiyo-chan?'

Petting her head again, Mari took the small nod that Tsukiyo gave as a yes and just allowed the two of them to sit there in relative comfort and isolation for while.

She of course was oblivious to another person that had a good look at her before entering the same classroom Tsukiyo was in.

* * *

..

'T-Thank you... for today! A-And good bye!'

Making her exit just as quickly as she had came, as Tsukiyo realized how embarrassing she had been in front of Mari, the younger girl's fight or flight instinct kicked in. The flight part won and she bowed to Mari before swiftly taking her leave, and leaving Mari a little disappointed at how Tsukiyo hadn't offered to take her around school as a 'parent'.

'A-Ah... well, she was so cute too.'

Musing in disappointment, Mari was startled when another person made her entrance... or rather, his entrance(?) as he bowed to her respectfully outside the classroom.

'So we finally met, Katsuragi Mari-san! It is definitely an honor!'

He should be a boy as he was wearing a boy's uniform just like Keima's... but his voice really sounded like a girl's and so Mari was confused as to how to greet him/her.

'Ano... you know my name... but I don't... know yours?'

'Ah! How rude of me, that's right... I hadn't introduced myself. Goido desu. Goido Yui.'

Smiling as she held her hand out to Mari, the mystery student helped Mari out as he continued on.

'I'm part of Elsi-san's band, I'm sure you've heard of me before?'

Smiling hopefully at Mari, Yui nodded as Mari clapped her hands together and said that she did.

'So you're part of the band? I see! It's nice to finally meet one of Elsi-chan's friends!'

Smiling as she looked at Yui, he did look like a nice boy... a very feminine but nice boy indeed and Mari wouldn't mind if Elsi went out with him, all things considered as her first impression of him was good. He was polite, was very dashing and had very good manners. But then again... Yui was a girl's name... so it's a very confusing situation.

In the end, the boy-ish side and of course, his pretty boy looks won over.

Looks can be deceiving but if he was part of Elsi's band, he probably was accepted by Elsi and her friends, which was a huge plus!

'That's right, It is an honour to meet you at long last as well, Mari-san. I've heard so much about you from Elsi-san... I was hoping that we could get more acquainted, if you have the time to spare of course. I will be glad to escort you around the school and of course, to our club house.'

'That would be nice. I'll be glad to, Goido-san~'

'Oh please, call me Yui, Mari-san...'

Smiling, the young heiress to be guided Mari on to the next chapter of her adventure!

* * *

**Author's Notes: Actually I find myself being a little embarrassed of my own errors now, I'll get better at writing, I promise!**

**However due to external circumstances, MW's chapters might be stalled after a few more chapters down the road. I'll provide an update on the situation.**

**It's not discontinued or anything though!**


	40. Interlude II: A Mother's Visit V

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 40: Interlude II: A Mother's Visit V**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Ah, as fun as the interlude was, this is the last chapter for the Interlude. I'll be resting MW's for a week due to... unforeseen circumstances for the next Arc, so please forgive me. Perhaps I could tempt you with my other regularly released fic now? :laughs:**

**Thank you, AKAAkira for the beta-edit.**

* * *

..

'And this here is the library.'

As she was brought around the grounds of the school, Mari was pleased with Goido Yui's guided tour as he had covered places that she would not have gone on her own in fear of getting lost.

Besides walking her to the library, he had guided her to have a look at the canteen, the small bread shop at the back of the school as well as a general tour of the outdoor facilities like the swimming pool, the track and field as well as the gymnasiums, where they bumped to Kusonoki again.

Kusonoki had been polite to her as always but she had seemed a little reserved when she saw Goido Yui, an individual that she didn't know and this caused the two of them to leave earlier than she would have liked.

But not before Kusonoki showed off her athletic prowess by smashing a concrete block with her bare fists. It was something that she was a little proud of too, telling Mari that she would protect her and Keima-kun with her strength.

Flattered by her dedication and willingness to dedicate herself to her son, Mari praised the older girl and wished her luck. It wasn't that Mari approved of Keima dating so many girls or cheating on them, Mari's approval extended to how Keima had apparently touched the girls and made them fall in love with him.

As a staunch non-believer in 'Love in First Sight', for that wasn't how Keima's father proposed to her, Mari was an advocate and supporter of people who made their love blossom through sheer hard-work, grit, devotion and dedication. That was the magical formula that made love possible, at least, that's what made love possible between Mari and her husband.

Any one girl that wanted to lay their claws on Keima could feel free to do so, provided that he accepted her feelings. She would NEVER allow someone to force Keima into a relationship, she would end it personally if she had to.

But if Keima were to accept them, wholeheartedly with no reservations whatsoever, there was no reason for Mari to reject them at all! In fact, she would bless whoever had managed to 'tame' her beloved son.

..

'And here... is the building that houses most of the clubs. After you, Mari-san.'

Opening the door for Mari, Yui bowed slightly before stepping in behind Mari. This boy was really polite and had manners that Mari could only link with Tsukiyo. Seeing that Mari had been approached by Yui outside of the same classroom, she supposed that the two of them were at least passing acquaintances in addition to being classmates.

'Thank you Yui.'

Smiling at him, Mari found herself even more puzzled by the younger boy. She couldn't really place him as although he felt like a girl, her woman instincts telling her adamantly that he was a girl due to his mannerisms and speech, he dressed like and used 'boku', which was usually used by boys instead of favouring 'watashi'. It was a very confusing turn of events that made the entire tour a little stressful for Mari.

Then again, she couldn't possibly ask him about his gender, that would be insulting to him so Mari kept quiet as Yui guided her along the corridor, pointing out several clubs of interest, especially the band as well as the choir, who were practising by themselves inside.

Besides the Mai-High Festival, this was an opportunity for the clubs to showcase their talent and hard work to their parents and knowing that their parents would be coming made them even more eager to prove themselves.

Listening in to the choir, who were practising yet another song, Mari suddenly spoke out loud to Yui, causing the student to start a little.

'Yui, what do you think of Elsi?'

The sudden question was enough to render him speechless before she frowned a little, tapping his fingers against his arm while considering it.

'Why the sudden question, Mari-san? And Elsi... huh? Elsi is a very good friend to me!'

'Nothing else? The two of you have been together for quite some time in the band now, haven't you? What's your relationship with the rest of the members, Yui?'

Yui did not seem to understand where Mari was driving at and after raising an eyebrow in confusion, she explained.

'Ah... well, I'm grateful to all of them for allowing me to continue playing my drums... I wasn't able to continue being in the band, you see? But I've been able to play with them and although I'm in a different class and joined them in a later date, I'm happy to have met them? Ahaha, it's embarrassing to admit that though... but they are very good friends and I really like them.'

Yui's forced reply... didn't really seemed forced and he seemed a little wistful as he looked back at the memories that he had with all of them, fond ones no doubt as Mari smiled in approval.

'I see... So Yui likes Elsi and the rest of them... is that right?'

'I do... why... the questions, Mari-san?'

'Nothing... I just find it a little overwhelming that someone as perfect and as elegant as you wouldn't be interested in any one of them.'

Smiling teasingly at him, Mari smiled slightly when Yui's eyes widened and he looked to the side in confusion. Although it had only been a while, Yui had behaved herself impeccably.

'Well... interested? I wouldn't say I'm not interested in them... they are... people that are precious to me... but they are my friends first and foremost~!'

Raising one finger to emphasize her point, Yui smiled winningly as he led her down the corridor towards the stairs. It was their first meeting but Yui had proved and shown himself to be a very nice person indeed.

There was no way around it, Mari approved of this person very much and was very happy to have met him. It was the highlight of the day! After Tsukiyo of course... that dear was too cute for her to pass up... and since she had gotten closer to her as well, it was a very satisfying day for Mari.

Not only had she met some of the girls who had shown interest in her son, she had met a potential suitor for her surrogate daughter too!

'Mari-san.'

Hearing Yui suddenly speak out surprised Mari and she started for a bit before she smiled at Yui in answer, looking at him even as Yui paused while staring at her.

'… I think there has been a misunderstanding... I do feel flattered that Mari-san is complimenting me and I feel honoured that Mari-san thinks so highly of me... but there... is something that I have to make clear or risk a misunderstanding between the two of us.'

What Yui was about to say was lost to Mari as out of the blue two different voices called out to the two of them from a distance.

'YUI!'

'OI! You're here early, Yui!'

Looking behind them, Mari was greeted with two figures running towards them, each carrying a guitar behind them while Yui sighed softly in disappointment. Apparently he wasn't pleased with having her private time with Mari cut short like that, not to mention just before he was going to formally ask a request for her.

Well... there's always the next time!

* * *

..

..

Mari was really carried away by the girls that she was introduced to, Takahara Ayumi and Kosaka Chihiro. In particular, the latter, Kosaka Chihiro was a girl after her own heart and she reminded Mari of her own childhood.

That girl, she was willing to make her dream into reality and after hearing Chihiro explain to her the reason for her in starting the band, Mari found herself being a very staunch supporter of the band as well.

Well, it helped that Elsi was part of the band, but she really digressed on that part.

'You girls remind me of my youth. I too was pursuing my dream then.'

Referring to Ayumi and Chihiro, Mari smiled when the girls nodded their head eagerly as well. They were eager to meet her and although she had heard lots about the two of them, this was the first time that they had actually met and she was eager to know how Elsi's friends were like.

As mentioned earlier, Mari really took to Chihiro and was delighted to meet Ayumi, the athletic girl being very sociable and easy to speak with and with her help, all of them were soon chatting with each other.

'I run a café in town together with Elsi, I'll be looking forward to seeing you girls there as well when you have the time.'

Sitting with them, Mari looked around the club room while Ayumi scratched her head in embarrassment at the lack of... well, anything and everything here. Still, it fell to Chihiro to explain the situation to her as she was the leader of the entire group after all.

'Gomen, it's just that we just started the club too. We brought some stuff to decorate the place a little... but you caught us early...'

Scratching her head as well, Chihiro grinned when Mari just said it was alright and it was to be expected.

'I blame Keima-kun, he was determined to get us to school early today... well, it worked out for the best in the end. I was able to meet all of you.'

Smiling at all of them, Mari was about to say more when Elsi burst into the room, panting and holding onto her bass with her other hand.

'I'm sorry I'm late! I had to run back to get my bass...eh?'

Blinking in surprise as she saw Mari together with her friends, Elsi paused for a moment before she launched herself at her mother, hugging her even as Mari swung around a few times to stabilize the two of them.

'E-Elsi-chan! That was very dangerous of you!'

Mari wanted to chide her for her actions but after seeing how excited and happy Elsi was, Mari couldn't help but smile to at her darling daughter. It was a very big difference from the greetings she was used to having from Keima so it definitely brightened up her day.

'Oka-sama! I didn't expect you so early! I was going to prepare some tea and help with the cleaning up too!'

Getting a broom from nowhere, Elsi started sweeping around the room cheerfully even as she spoke with Mari. To Mari's amusement, the other girls seemed to realize that they should be doing something as well and started re-arranging the boxes, tables and chairs that were placed around the classroom and tidying it up a bit.

'Yui-ch... Yui-_kun_ was showing me around, I'm glad you made such a good friend, Elsi-chan! Ayumi-chan and Chihiro-chan too! I'm glad to have met them.'

Smiling at the three of them, Mari was glad for the distraction as she wasn't able to... phrase Yui properly. It was embarrassing, but she almost slipped and called him a girl instead of a boy. But was it really like that?

'… Ano... Oka-sama?'

Noticing that Mari had paused and was scratching her head for a while, Elsi suddenly asked her the question that she had been asking herself for a while.

'You've met Yui-san desho? Ano... Yui-san...she is a girl... '

..

Dropping that bombshell, no, scratch that, revelation on Mari out of the blue, the other girls just stared at the two of them for a while before Yui spontaneously blushed while the other two just giggled in response.

'A-Ah.. M-Mari-san, yo-you really thought that Yui was a boy?!'

Chihiro couldn't stop herself as she leered at Yui, who was looking a little uncomfortable at the attention that everyone was giving her. Mari couldn't blame him... no, her, as she was still a little stunned at the reveal.

Sure, she knew that it was a possibility but for it to be proven without a shadow of a doubt was troubling for her as well.

She... had her own fantasies after all! Like how she wanted Yui to go out with Elsi. Being the gentleman... scratch that, the lady that she was, Elsi and Yui would make a great couple in Mari's eyes.

'I'm sure that Mari-san wanted Elsi to go out with you, Yui!'

It was like Chihiro had read Mari's mind and she internally she was torn between shaking her fist at Chihiro or shaking hands in acknowledgement of geniuses thinking alike. In the end, none of them won out and Mari simply gave a sheepish smile.

'R-Really?! I-Is that true?!'

It was Yui who looked scandalized and upset at that revelation and honestly, Mari was a little put off at how Yui was reacting like that as the unflappable boy, no, girl, was looking as though a part of her had shattered.

That image was reinforced when Yui reached out to Mari, grabbing her hands suddenly and pressing her face close to hers. The sudden action from Yui rendered Mari unable to react or perhaps just unable to fathom why Yui was doing this to her.

She hadn't had someone so close or scrutinizing her ever since her husband left for the business trip. Even Elsi didn't pay as much attention as that on her; Mari sometimes bitterly reflected that on occasion, Elsi would do that to Keima instead.

Perhaps she really should scrutinize what was really going on between the siblings... just to play it safe.

..

'Yui, what... is it?'

Trying hard not to sound unnerved at all, Mari was caught unprepared when Yui grasped her hand, squeezed it harder and then mentioned that she wanted to seek permission in being a part of her family.

'W-Wait? WHAT?!'

It was Ayumi who, surprisingly, reacted to the statement that Yui was saying and the athletic girl was literally burning with rage. Out of the corner of her eye though, Mari took note that Chihiro had gone from laughing to pure shock, simply looking at them with her mouth open wide with no signs of it closing.

It was a little funny but it really wasn't seeing that Mari was quite sure, reasonably sure that Yui was serious about it.

'… Now listen Yui, I know that we live in a liberalized world... and that we have a lot of freedom to pursue and to declare what we like to the world without repercussions.'

Mari was a staunch supporter of that, she was part of a biker gang in the past and her childhood dream was to be the leader of a biker gang, running wild through the long miles of highway in Japan...

A dream that was not fondly looked on by anyone in particular and as result Mari wasn't looked fondly upon in the Katsuragi household. Most of them didn't approve of the marriage but all things considered, Mari had the last laugh. Even if she had to give up her dream to do so.

EVEN SO. Yui taking Elsi away was something that was a bit of dilemma for Mari as although she did support Yui before... now that Mari was certain Yui was a girl, it just seemed... awkward and a little creepy even for her.

'But taking Elsi as a bride or even just as a girl friend would have their repercussions, especially to your family.'

Mari replied seriously and was rewarded with all of the girls, yes, even Yui, giving a loud 'EHH!' in shock at Mari's words. It was like she and the Katsuragi family would approve of the two of them being together.

..

'E-Even if Oka-sama says that, there's no way that... that I...'

Elsi blushed when Yui looked at her but that moment was overturned when Yui shook her head, brushed her hair backwards and told her that was not it.

'Eh? Then... who is it?'

'Katsuragi Keima-kun. I would like you to give me permission to have him as my bride.'

…

'WHAT?!'

* * *

..

Sitting together in the quiet club room, Katsuragi Mari took another look at Goido Yui and was unnerved to see her still remaining on the same pose, head bowed down and kneeling on the cold concrete floor. True to her words, she had not moved since she asked that request to her.

The other girls had been unable to come to terms with it, Elsi having to physically restrain Ayumi as the girl sought to shake some sense into her friend. Well, Mari hoped that Ayumi wanted to shake Yui, she looked very dangerous then... likely capable of acts of extreme violence if necessary.

Chihiro had obviously been torn between agreeing with Ayumi and trying to save her stubborn friend, who hadn't backed off at all even after Mari had said no quite adamantly.

'There is no way that I can agree to it. Even though I love my son and wish for the best possible relationship for him, I can't give Keima-kun to you. Well, Elsi-chan is oka-'

'I refuse. All I want is Keima-kun.'

Yui replied with no hesitation at all and although Mari was joking about making some concessions on that point, seeing that Keima would be her brother-in-law, Yui was as adamant as Mari on that fact.

'O-Oka-sama...'

Throughout the process Elsi had been indisposed, having to deal with the raging Ayumi and now that she had successfully done so, Elsi looked at Mari with a mixture of disappointment and reluctance. The poor girl was probably torn between her view of her own happiness and loyalty to Mari as her parent. Ah, such an adorable child... and she was _her_ daughter too! Praise the gods!

'I was just joking, Elsi. I wouldn't give you to anyone... any one at all.'

Smiling dangerously at that thought, the other girls swallowed nervously even as Elsi just nodded in understanding, tilting her head in agreement to that.

'Mm! I'll stay by Kami-Onii-sama's side as long as you want, Oka-sama!'

That... wasn't what Mari had in mind but it works as well and she turned to Yui again before clearing her throat and starting again.

..

'Yui-chan.'

'Hai, Oka-sama.'

'… I said please don't call me that...'

'Hai, Oka-sama!'

She wasn't listening to her at all was she? Well, Mari did appreciate her dedication to her son even if it surprised her a lot. To think that this perfect gentleman, ahem... girl knew and was interested in Keima.

But she was still rooting for Shiori, so there's that.

'I can't approve of it... Nor can I be the one to decide that.'

'But Oka-sama is the head of the household, no? If Oka-sama accepts me...'

'It won't change anything at all. Keima-kun won't listen to me at all. Isn't that right, Elsi-chan?'

Looking at her daughter, who nodded with a sigh, Yui relaxed a little as she allowed Mari to help her up from her position. True to her training, Yui was able to stand straight while Chihiro and Ayumi looked at her with a mixture of awe and pain, wincing as they imagined having to hold that position for 15 minutes straight.

'… Besides, Yui is such a perfect girl that it wouldn't be right for me to accept you into the family without Keima-kun's approval... I am a mother and a mother would want the best for her son... And the best for Keima-kun, is for him to choose for himself neh? If he did that... I'll be sure that there are no regrets from him or from the girl that choose to be by him.'

Nodding her head sagely, Mari found herself surrounded by all of the girls who took turns in holding Mari's hands tightly.

'T-That's awesome, Mari-san! As expected from someone like you!'

Chihiro showered her with praise even as Ayumi nodded her head in agreement to Mari's declaration.

'Mari-san... knows Keima-kun inside out, neh? But... Mari-san, I agree with your words whole-heartedly! I will keep that in mind!'

'… I suppose you are right, Mari-san.'

Yui admitted grudgingly but then smiled as she nodded to Mari and then to the other girls, before grasping Mari's hands again.

'I will accept that challenge then, Mari-san. I will strive to make Keima-kun decide on me. Can I have permission to do that?'

Holding her hand again, Yui's hand was quickly batted away by Ayumi, who glowered angrily at her and that was when Mari uttered another statement that caused the entire room to recoil in shock again.

'Ara ara... is Ayumi-chan and Chihiro-chan love rivals with Yui too?'

* * *

..

'Ano... Oka-sama?'

Walking back home with Elsi, Mari stopped as her darling daughter stopped to ask her a question that she didn't expect to hear.

'Did... you enjoy yourself? Oka-sama...? Even if Oka-sama seems to be smiling and giggling today... Oka-sama... feels a little different than usual...'

Ah, so Elsi had gotten sharper than she had thought. It was probably due to Keima; that boy had always been perceptive and the only reason he didn't say so much was because he enjoyed his own privacy.

There was no doubt about it, Elsi was rubbing off Keima but she has to learn how to keep her thoughts and opinions to herself too... There were things that would be better off not asked after all.

'Ah, daijobu...Elsi-chan. It's just... that I feel a little overwhelmed after all.'

'Overwhelmed, Oka-sama?'

'Mm... I now know that Elsi-chan has great friends... good friends that you can share your worries with... and that Keima-kun has done many good things that I did not know about... I knew that he was a smart boy... but I didn't know that he did so many amazing things to make all those girls like him... Even my husband didn't have that many admirers.'

'Otou-sama...?'

'Mm, your otou-sama was an amazing person... but he was the one who choose me... so perhaps, one day Keima-kun will let me see the girl that he had chosen.'

Smiling in anticipation of that day, Mari and Elsi opened the door to their home and was surprised to see Keima placing a dish of food on the table.

'… Welcome back.'

He muttered softly before sitting down and he missed Mari wiping tears from her eyes as she echoed Elsi's reply of 'I'm back!'.

Yes, her son, Katsuragi Keima has changed... or perhaps, he has already changed and she didn't notice? Whatever the answer... Katsuragi Mari was very proud of her son, the **Capturing God**.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Ah, no notes here, sorry...**


	41. Worries

**The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish**

**Chapter 41: Worries**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

**Original Title: The World Only God Knows / ****神のみぞ知るセカイ**

**Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki**

**Written by: wrathie**

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: So here we are, a little later release but in the same schedule nonetheless.**

**Thank you, ****_AKAAkira_**** for the beta and some personal thoughts about this new arc.**

**AKAAkira asked me why didn't I wrote this arc as itself and I replied him with whether I wrote MF for this arc.**

**And till now I'm still not too sure. As both of us has worked on this, the both of us agreed that this arc, for all it's implications and complications & length, is one which would push the comfort zone for all my readers for the TWOGK series.**

**So, enjoy!**

* * *

..

'That's all for today then.'

The **Capturing God, **Katsuragi Keima looked back at his students, the majority of the girls that had been 'captured', and closed the notebook that he had been staring at for the past 10 minutes.

After the 'parent-teacher conference' of sorts in school, life had returned to normal... as far as Keima concerned it was as good as it was going to get for him. Sure, he still had to entertain some of the girls whims like how Tsukiyo demanded him to join her for tea, Asami and her 'competition' with Elsi on whose lunch was better as well as how Fuse would want to debate endlessly with him about new games.

The last part was something that he really enjoyed so perhaps that couldn't be counted... but in the end, he digressed.

As to what he was doing today, Keima had been roped in by Chihiro and Ayumi to help them with their studies for the next test that was going to be held before the Mai-High festival.

Since Keima had lost the bet with Kodama sensei, he was eager to get back at him by getting full marks for this test too. That said, he returned to gaming during classes again despite breaking the promise as it was irritating watching Kodama being elated and having his head above the clouds for 'outsmarting' Keima for once.

He had to endure a full week of Kodama sneering and commenting that he was smarter than Keima, but it was a small price to pay for gaming in class. Then he said that Keima would never get full marks for his test if he never paid attention to his class.

Thus the challenge was set again; Keima would continue gaming and if he wasn't able to get full marks for his next test, all of the tests actually, he would never be allowed to bring the PFP to school again.

Naturally Keima would never allow that but he wasn't about to pay attention to class... so there was a small stand-off there.

_'Katsuragi, how about you join our study group then?'_

Having heard of that challenge, Chihiro had suddenly asked him out of the blue and he had agreed. If anything it would help with his revision... and as it was said in full view of Kodama sensei, he would be able to get him off his back for while.

..

Naturally the study group, which had originally comprised of the 2B Pencils, had exploded in number with almost all of the 'Captured' girls inviting themselves into the party.

Haqua had tagged along with Elsi, Kanon had been 'summoned' by Ayumi and Chihiro, and seeing that they were classmates, Asami had 'dropped' in quite naturally. What wasn't as 'natural' was how Mio, Yui and Tsukiyo had joined in. They had gotten the news from a grapevine that was being passed down about Kanon and had burst into the classroom just as they were about to start, demanding to be taught by Keima too.

Well, it was Yui who said that, the other two girls had shrunk away at Yui's frank admission and looked like they were about to flee when Shiori appeared at the back-door, trying her best to enter the class without anyone noticing.

The last straw came when Fuse Aoba marched in and plopped down on a seat with her PFP, ignoring the cries from the girls who said that she didn't need a study group at all!

_'Kami-sama doesn't need a study group as well. Should the two of us return then?'_

The girls had stayed quiet at the comment, but it had gotten a little chaotic after that and as Keima looked back at the sequence of events, the only two girls that weren't present were Kusonoki and Minami. The two of them were in different study-years so it couldn't be helped.

But Keima hoped that it was not due to how he had handled the earlier capture of Kureha Haruka. Unlike Shiori, who had gotten a personal 'Keima-day' (as some of the girls called it), for her efforts in the capture, Kusonoki and Minami had to be content with being invited to dinner with the Katsuragis after the parent-teacher conference.

That was why Keima prepared the food for Mari and Elsi and although it wasn't the best fare in the world, those present remembered that day for what he prepared.

Well, the 'Keima-day' was extremely embarrassing even if rewarding for Shiori and he would rather not think about that again if he could help it.

..

Keima was not designated as the teacher at the start, it had sorted ended up this way as Fuse was being distracted with her games to care about what the girls were studying. It brought to light another part of the girls' relationships that Keima had been unable to put his finger on.

There was... competition amongst them, that was certain... but what was uncertain was how the girls all fitted into that hierarchy. From the way Fuse Aoba carried herself, she was obviously the head of the 'group' of loose alliances that had been formed and Keima expected that. There was no way that anyone else would dispute her title of the **Mai-Hime** and the one who was closest to him. Well, besides Elsi...

Fuse Aoba was the 'head' of the group and as the 'head' she had spoken on behalf of the girls on many occasions, the last time highlighting their displeasure in allowing the girls, namely Shiori, to be exposed to 'mental trauma' when capturing Konoe Rea.

Tsukiyo had been very vocal about that as well and Keima had promised not to use those measures again. Well, unless absolutely necessary that was.

Reflecting upon the girls' interaction, it was painfully obvious to him that most of the girls gave a wide berth to Nakagawa Kanon, the exception being the 2B Pencils.

Oh right, he should highlight that Terada Miyako was part of the study group, the sole member of the group that wasn't a 'captured' girl at all. An oddity for sure but she was close with Kanon, probably due to the friendship the girls had with her.

Nakagawa Kanon... the girl that Keima had paid a lot of attention to in private but it seems that the other girls knew of that as well. Was it their female instincts that made it possible? Either way Keima was certain now that the girls viewed Kanon as _the_ rival, the girl that was most likely to be chosen by _him._

Well, he was... not going to comment on that but based on how the girls sidelined Kanon and how Kanon didn't seem to quite mind, the misunderstanding was going to continue.

Another amusing thing to note was how despite being the 'head' of the group and having quite an antagonistic air of her, quite similar to him by the way, Aoba was the 'bridge' that connected the girls together.

The girls from 2A were distant from the girls in 2B and 2C, possibly due to their upbringing. The only exception was Yui, who was quite close to the girls as she was part of the 2B Pencils.

But Fuse Aoba was on agreeable terms with Tsukiyo and Mio, the two of them probably looked up to Aoba as an individual. At the same time, she was close with Shiori and Asami from 2C and 2B respectively. This meant that besides being the head, Aoba was also the focal point of the whole group, not too surprising seeing how she was one of the few who had drafted the rules of engagement in the first place.

..

Back to the topic however, Keima had ended up being the 'teacher' or 'tutor' if one wishes so when Elsi slipped up and mentioned that Keima had tutored all of them before, gaining the attention of all of the girls.

However he had been adamant that he would not be doing any one-to-one study session again despite the girls protesting it gave unfair treatment to some of the girls.

_'It would be inefficient, so unless you accept my terms, all of you can continue with your self-revision.'_

They had relented in the end as they knew that Keima was being serious about his 'threat'.

'Thank you, Kami-Onii-sama! I'll do my best to take down notes too!'

Looking at Elsi pitifully, Keima cleared his throat before walking to Elsi and her so-called 'two-pen's copying style before he was intercepted by Yui, the girl being very daring and dogged with her pursuit of him after the parent-teacher conference.

'You were magnificent, Katsuragi-kun. I didn't know that you could speak like that. I certainly learned a lot today... and I would like to take this opportunity to offer you a position in my househ-'

Yui was promptly interrupted by Mio, who pulled her back fiercely while declaring that if Keima _had_ to work, it should be in an environment where he could actually be comfortable with.

'Not in some stuffy household with you.. alon...'

Mio overheated the moment she thought about the implications and she released Yui, who blushed but nodded in agreement to Mio's hyperactive imagination.

'That's right, you can be my perso-'

Being interrupted again irritated Yui and she turned to see it was no other than Kanon who reminded her that she should consult Keima about the matter more carefully.

'After all, Keima-kun has his own things to finish, isn't that right?'

Kanon smiled knowingly, probably referencing about his 'assignments'/'missions' and the other girls fell quiet at that, causing Yui to look surprised at the sudden change in the atmosphere.

'That's right, Keima-kun has something else to do at the moment, Yui.'

'Mm...'

Hearing her two friends agree with the rest was enough to make Yui back down as well. The mood was totally ruined now with the mention of the 'missions' that Keima had to finish and they shot looks at him furtively, apologizing to him with their looks even as Keima remained stoic and unflappable. If there was a sign of weakness, the girls couldn't see it.

At least, no one else but Chihiro and the 'normal girl' frowned a little as Keima went back to tutoring Elsi.

* * *

..

..

'Neh, Katsuragi.'

Looking up from his PFP as all of them started to leave the classroom together, Chihiro took the opportunity to talk to him, snatching the initiative from Kanon, who had been hovering around Keima even as he finished teaching Elsi.

She had seen a brief glimpse of weariness from Keima, a look that really didn't suit him and she wanted to clarify things with him.

'Chihiro.'

Acknowledging her by her name made Chihiro brighten a little but she frowned nonetheless as she watched Keima go back to his PFP before she popped the question.

'Is there a reason that you are so concerned about Elsi today? I mean... I want to apologize for the whole thing turning out like this.'

She looked in front of her at the girls chatting with each other, all of them giving them a wide berth, even as Keima nodded in understanding.

'It was not your fault. However, I would have to decline any further invitations.'

'I know that, I won't force you to come... but I think you should. You are worried about Elsi, aren't you?'

'… I'm her brother after all. I'm supposed to do that.'

He replied dryly but Chihrio just rolled her eyes.

'Sure you are. Maybe you are, we aren't sure... but I'm pretty sure that even if you are siblings, the two of you aren't blood related at all.'

'Why would you think so'

Keima tensed a little as she asked that question, no one else had questioned them about that but he knew that it was hard for people to believe that Elsi and him were truly related. The implications weren't that obvious as others but that doesn't mean that it wasn't something that he should ignore.

'Technically it's hard for a person to have 2 kids in the same year... Katsuragi's birthday is in June, and Elsi's is in March right? If it was really possible, Elsi would have to be born prematurely for about three months. And... I asked Mari-san... Katsuragi... was born around the predicted delivery date.'

It was been hard for Chihiro bringing that question up. The only reason that she succeeded in asking that was when she highlighted to Mari during her visit to the 2B Pencil's club house that she was a difficulty baby to be delivered, totally out of the blue of course, and said that she had heard there were negative consequences if she was delivered with the help of a vacuum.

Of course Mari had laid rest to those rumours, telling Chihiro those were old wives' tales and that she wouldn't worry about that at all. It was then that Mari had told her that Keima was odd even when she gave birth to him naturally so she had nothing to worry about.

Chihiro had her reasons for asking that, there were many things that didn't add up and well, she wanted to know more about Keima and Elsi. The two of them didn't seem to be in a normal sibling relationship after all.

'… My opinion of you have risen considerably, Chihiro... you even took the time and effort to ask about that.'

Keima offered a small smile as praise and Chihiro nodded in understanding while stretching herself before continuing, confident in her own words.

'I... and I heard about how you... referred to Elsi and Haqua from Minami-chan... you told her that the two of them were 'associates'. I, well everyone could tell that Elsi and Haqua have some kind of magical power that they hadn't explained yet. How could they have changed our memories if they didn't. I think every body suspects it but I don't think Elsi really is your sister..'

As she smiled a little wistfully, Chihiro raised an eyebrow when Keima asked her what she would say if that was true.

'That Elsi... wasn't my sister and the two of them were not... human at all?'

'Not human…'

The bombshell was enough to stop Chihiro in her tracks as she she lowered her head and bit her lip while she contemplated, she came to a conclusion and simply shrugged in reply. It was a surprise yes, but she had to be honest to herself as she had considered that before she confronted Keima with this.

'… I don't know what I'll feel. I'm honest... It's something that I considered but never really thought about it. Maybe I didn't want to consider it, they are my friends after all.'

Chihiro gave a sheepish smile even as Keima seemed satisfied by her answer as his hands relaxed while he looked at Chihiro.

'I take it that you didn't tell any of the girls of your discovery?'

'I didn't. I didn't want to... you know? It just felt wrong, but I think everyone already suspects it and just didn't want to ask too. There's always a reason for what you're doing. So if you want to keep it from us, to hide what the two of them are, I trust that you have a reason for it.'

'I do have a reason... at the heart of it is the same question that I asked you earlier... are you willing to believe and accept that the two of them aren't human?'

'… They are my friends. I wouldn't question that... even if they are 'different'.'

Chihiro was unnerved when Keima smirked while narrowing his eyes and he spoke softly again to Chihiro, stopping so that the two of them were alone and behind the gaggle of girls in front of them.

'Even if they were the ones who caused this mess in the first place? That they are the ones responsible for what you had to go through before I 'helped' you?'

..

That was a bombshell indeed and Chihiro paled a little as she considered that statement, the fact that many of the things that they experienced was due to her two friends was just unbelievable..

'Is that really true? Katsuragi-kun... that Elsi and Haqua...'

'Not really, they weren't the ones that were at fault... but their... companions are guilty.'

'Even so, they are the ones that are trying to fix it, right?! Then it should be okay...'

'If you were the one that started an incident... would you expect to be forgiven even though you tried your best to salvage the aftermath?'

Putting a harsh point across to Chihiro, who winced at that reference, the two of them were silent before Chihiro started to walk again and a moment later Keima followed her.

Out of all the girls, having Chihiro approach him regarding this fact surprised him... and it certainly was something he didn't expect to happen. Judging from the way Chihiro was frowning, her brows squeezing together thoughtfully, Keima was sure that Chihiro wouldn't raise this issue again. Which was why Keima started when Chihiro said that she didn't expect to be forgiven.

'It was my fault in the first place after all... So, it's my fault... but I... would want others to know that I did it so that I could be forgiven by those that I am working hard for, that I am doing the right thing by helping out. I think that it is better than not helping and running away in the end. I have to face the music for what I've done. So if you ask me if I am in Elsi-chan's shoes... I would want my friends to acknowledge me and what I've done. Even if I am not forgiven... at least, I think I'll be happier for my friends to know the truth.'

Chihiro spoke so strongly and emotionally that it caused Keima to be rendered speechless for a few seconds before Chihiro tapped her own head in embarrassment.

'T-That's what I think though... Elsi might think differently...'

'Who knows... really.'

Keima replied non-committally to that answer, if that was even possible and Chihiro brought him back to the topic at hand once again.

'Why are you so worried about Elsi then? Even if you don't know what Elsi thinks... you're the one worrying about her, aren't you?'

Smiling teasingly at him, Chihiro blinked when Keima nodded in answer.

'You're right there... I admit that as much.'

* * *

**Author's Notes: If you feel there are inconsistencies with the knowledge shared amongst the girls, please, do tell me.**


	42. A New Challenger

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 42: A New Challenger**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, ****_AKAAkira_**** Forthe beta edit and comments. We're still working on it, but I hope that it suits your taste.**

* * *

..

'She's right. Why am I worrying about that?'

Muttering to himself impatiently, Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** simply looked at his own PFP in irritation at the question that has been bugging him.

Yes, he had gotten more conscious of Elsi ever since the failed capture of the Weiss of Guido Yui. Well, perhaps before that... it probably stemmed from where all this mess began, the day that some of the 'captured' girls' memories had returned.

Elsi had played a very important role in 'informing' him that it happened, if his memory served him right, Elsi was the one who had kept him off their trail and delivered him into their waiting arms.

Now the roles were reversed as Elsi was doing her best to distract and to hide the girls' intentions from him now and was largely successful in that endeavour.

Was it then that Keima had seen the small, abysmally small potential that Elsi had inside her? It was true that he had not expected Elsi to be capable of doing that, standing up to him and making him back down... so there was definitely steel inside her.

It would work in his favor if Elsi showed that aspect of her more often, that was true... but the effort it took to bring even a semblance of that steel that he had seen in her once was... probably not worth the effort.

In any case, his new attitude to Elsi had apparently been quite obvious to Chihiro, or perhaps not... she more likely than not saw the signs of weariness on his part.

Weeks has passed since he tried his best to encourage Elsi in whatever she's doing, guiding her to do the right thing and expanding her knowledge and yet, he had nothing to show for his efforts.

And that really... really made him feel extremely frustrated.

..

'Kami-Onii-sama?'

Turning to see Elsi, the source of all the problems calling him from the door of his room, Keima settled his nerves and nodded to her, acknowledging her presence while Elsi stepped into the room.

'What are you doing?'

'Thinking. You should try that some time.'

He was unnecessarily harsh and he winced in the inside even as Elsi shrugged it off like water on a duck's back.

'Mm... Kami-Onii-sama is worrying about something, desho? Is it about what Chihiro-chan was talking to you about?'

The other girls weren't dumb and although Keima knew that a large majority of them would be happy to interrupt them, Keima knew of the 'rules of engagement' and that neither of them could at any time interrupt a conversation or an 'event' that was going on between Keima and one of the girls if Keima wanted it to be private.

Thus they had backed off and allowed Chihiro to have the moment for herself, not eavesdropping to the best of their abilities and it was one of those rules that Keima had to give his full approval to Fuse Aoba for thinking it up.

'Yes... Chihiro is a sharp girl...'

Praising her, Keima noted that Elsi didn't seemed surprised by that and she didn't intrude on his personal space either as she walked towards him, making sure to keep a respectable distance between them and yet close enough to be by his side.

'Chihiro-chan... she knows a lot about Kami-Onii-sama... perhaps more so than everyone of us.'

'Even you, Elsi?'

'… Maybe even me too.'

Elsi admitted this without hesitation but she did seem a little saddened at that, admitting it to her 'Kami-Onii-sama'.

'I don't understand a lot of what Kami-Onii-sama is doing... but I know that whatever Kami-Onii-sama does, it is for a reason... so I want to know... what is Kami-Onii-sama's reason this time?'

'This... time?'

Looking at Elsi in confusion, Keima smiled a little as Elsi asked him the same question.

'Kami-Onii-sama... Chihiro-chan wouldn't approach you if she wasn't worried about something... so what is Kami-Onii-sama going to do about it? Will Kami-Onii-sama be helping Chihiro-chan this time too?'

Elsi didn't seem too upset about that idea but Keima was more astonished at how she was able to pick up on the cues like that. Well, it wasn't really hard... but for Elsi it was certainly a big breakthrough from that ditzy and unaware individual that she was before.

'I don't think so. Not when I've already set my mind at ease about that.'

There was progress there, definitely... he had only to look deeper. Or perhaps she has always been sharper than she looked, and it's just that she didn't express her thoughts often.

'Eh?'

'… If you have any doubts, just highlight them... like you said, perhaps it's best if we were more open with each other.'

Keima sighed and he blinked when Elsi nodded and looked out the window as well, as if pondering about what she should say. The image Keima got from Elsi was much more mature and dependable than she was normally and he nodded in satisfaction.

'Kami-Onii-sama... Thank you.'

'… Work hard, Elsi...'

It was like an unspoken promise between the two of them … something that hadn't been made before.

* * *

..

'… Why am I being in roped to do this again?'

Looking in disgust at the group of people that were gathering to hear a gig by the 2B Pencils, Keima sighed when he reminded himself that he had been asked by the 2B Pencils to listen into their first ever performance at the school hall. It was a private performance, invitation only to all of the 2B Pencil's friends and selected 'fans'.

The 'fans' were probably fans of Yui but Keima digressed. When he was approached by Chihiro, Ayumi and Elsi, he had not been able to say 'No', although he was very, very tempted to break that promise when Yui crashed in and said that she wanted to propose to him then as well.

But he didn't after the other girls told Yui sternly that they wouldn't allow it, not under their watch anyway. So Keima had been the first person to arrive in the designated venue, the school hall.

It was not quite full with chairs, around 10-20 chairs in total, perhaps 30 in all if one considered the chairs that were stacked up to the side. For a first performance, the number of people was a surprise to him and he shrugged, moving around and looking for the seat that was designated to be his.

It was no surprise to him that he would be sitting in the front row's middle seat and he settled down to rest while pulling his PFP out to continue his gaming, waiting for the guests to arrive in due time.

The 2B Pencils had been adamant that Keima be a guest and not a helper, not that Keima had any wish to help them set up anything... it was tiring enough to deal with all of them on a regular basis after all.

Thus, Keima was a little surprised to see Yui doing the heavy lifting, setting up the speakers with the girls and then the instruments in front of her. Tempted as he was to help out, Keima was reminded that he shouldn't do so when Yui told him off for even thinking that.

Still, he took the time to prepare some tea for them in a Thermos, keeping it hot for them to drink and placing it in their clubroom before going back to his seat and waiting patiently.

In due time, the spectators finally rolled in and he wasn't too surprised to see the majority of them started when they saw him, the infamous Otamegane, sitting in front of them, but they refrained from commenting or speculating about why he was apparently given a VIP seat. Still, it probably wasn't much of a surprise seeing how Yui's dogged attempts to obtain Keima through any means necessary were spreading across the school like wildfire.

..

There had been quite a few individuals who were aghast at how Keima had apparently seduced Guido Yui, the individual who had transcended gender in her appeal. There were a lot of exaggerations for that particular point but Keima did have to admit that they had a point when they looked up at Yui.

She was very comfortable in the role of a player character and as a boy; so fitting was she that he had to consider her as another candidate to be his disciple in some aspects.

As the time for their performance approached, the seats were quickly filled up besides those in the front row. Keima wondered if they were too afraid of his presence or did the girls take the time and effort to prepare the first row just for him?

Keima didn't want to speculate too much but he did give a start when someone asked him whether the seats were occupied.

'You see... I... I wasn't invited, but I really wanted to listen to the 2B Pencils... and I saw there was space here...so... would you mind if... I take the seat beside you?'

Looking behind him, Keima could see that the entire place was full and the only place where there were seats was in the front row where he was in. Either the girl's desire to hear and see the 2B Pencils perform was apparently overcoming her fear of the 'Otamegane', or that she didn't recognize him as that at all.

'No, I don't. I won't stop you from taking the seat.'

It took a while for him to decide on the answer, torn between shooing her off and his role of the 'clueless protagonist'. The latter won obviously and he shrugged while making room for her as she sat beside him.

It might be odd to see him doing that but Keima reasoned that if his reputation was anything like what he had feared, it would be acceptable for him to do that if they wanted to. Seeing that he apparently had a soft spot for some of the girls, scratch that, all of the girls that were chasing him, it wouldn't be too unexpected for him to do this small act of kindness.

THAT said, the girl was probably approaching him as she was unsure if the other seats were occupied on his row. No doubt that she would leave for another one when one opened up for her when the performance started.

* * *

..

'S-Sugoi! They were more amazing than I ever expected!'

The girl exclaimed to Keima even as he nodded slowly in agreement. That was certainly an experience that he didn't expect. The girls were confident, coming out in new clothes and starting their performance by introducing themselves and thanking all that were present.

It was amusing to note that the girls didn't want anyone to take any videos for now, telling them that they were going to release the footage themselves in the near future.

What bothered Keima though, was how the girl that was sitting beside her got more animated and happy the longer the performance dragged on and by the time they were done, she was on her feet with the rest of the fans and asking for an encore performance, something that the girls declined as they smiled back happily.

It was a successful concert but now the headache had began as the girl had latched onto him, believing that he was their number one fan or someone close to the 2B Pencils for him to be allocated the precious front row seats.

'Mm...'

'How could you just say that?! They were great, weren't they?'

'Yes they were.'

Replying dryly as he waited for the crowd to disperse, Keima tried hard to look away from the girl even as she sat there patiently for the 2B Pencils to emerge. She had somehow gotten the idea that if she stuck by him, she would be able to meet them in person!

Honestly, Keima was about to deadpan that they were in the same school... so the likelihood that she could ask for an autograph was actually quite high.

'Do you think that I would be able to meet them? E-Erm...'

Realizing that she hadn't known the name of this kind boy that had allowed her to have such a great seat, she introduced herself first by smiling and bowing slightly to him.

..

'Miyabi desu, Miyabi Eru desu. It's nice to meet you... erm...'

'Katsuragi, Katsuragi Keima... Miyabi-san.'

Keima waited for a response from her and as he expected, Miyabi reacted with a small gasp before nodding in acknowledgement.

'Ah, you're the one that the everyone in the 2B Pencils has a crush on? The fan club thinks that all of them like you to some degree, Katsuragi-san! I'm glad to be able to meet the person that no doubt inspired them so much!'

'… ?'

It was enough to render Keima speechless as he stared at Miyabi Eru and she smiled back in reply. Come to think of it, he hadn't really had a good look at the girl, choosing instead to look down at his PFP instead, giving her glancing looks when she got a little too close for comfort.

Miyabi Eru could be described as a pretty girl, a little petite but was still taller than Mio. Like most of the girls, her hair was not coloured, being a natural shade of darkish brown, and it was done up with two distinctive braids at the side of her head that was much longer and pronounced.

What was important to note was that she wore GLASSES and the moment that Keima realized that, he gave a shudder. There hadn't been a heroine with glasses so far, had there? With his luck... and how naturally this girl had approached him, the odds that she would be a Weiss target soon were rising.

'… Wait, Kanon wore glasses too.'

He remembered suddenly but when Miyabi clung on to his arm excitedly, he knew that he had said the wrong lines.

'W-Wait, you know Kanon-chan?!'

Looking excited at that prospect of him knowing another idol of hers, Miyabi clung to his hands and begged him to introduce Kanon to her too.

'Please, Katsuragi-san! I would die for Kanon-chan's signature!'

'Why am I not sure if that is an exaggeration?'

Keima replied before he noticed but that did cause Miyabi to break free from him, looking very embarrassed as she looked to the side.

'A-Ano, gomen nasai... I was too excited... please forgive me... I tend to get a little over-excited sometimes~~'

As she looked down, Miyabi seemed genuinely apologetic and Keima shrugged and told her that he didn't mind.

'As to the 2B Pencils, there they are now.'

Pointing to the girls that were peeking their heads out from the curtains, Keima raised a hand at them in greeting and smirked a little when they waved back tentatively as well, no doubt taken aback at this new development that had happened.

'… Ah... AH... AHH!'

With her voice raising and slowly gaining in strength, Miyabi rushed over to the girls even as they glared at Keima unhappily. They had probably waited for all of them to be gone in order to not deal with some overexcited fans but that plan was foiled when Keima gave them away.

As he watched the girls interact awkwardly with Miyabi, Keima gave a sigh of relief as Elsi's Weiss radar didn't go off. Perhaps he'll get a reprieve from this one after all?

He could only hope...

* * *

..  
..

'A-Ah, I had so much fun today.'

Smiling as she waited for the girls together with Keima, Miyabi Eru sighed as she paced around Keima even as the **Capturing God** continued with his games without even caring about her.

After leaving her to her own devices with the girls, Keima had retreated into the world of his games after ascertaining that she was not going to be one of the capturing targets, at least for now.

He had no reason to entertain her at all and so it was a huge surprise to him that she continued to stick by him and triedto get him into a conversation.

Well, the possibility was high that she simply viewed him as a person who could give her what she wanted. By her own admission, she was excited and happy to be able to meet her two idols with his help.

That same line made it difficult for Keima to find a reason to stop her from continuing to tag along without hurting her.

W-Wait... why was he concerned about hurting her feelings?! She was not a 'captured' girl nor was she a captured target, so why...

Glancing up from his PFP, Keima retreated back to the shell that he had been in when Eru smiled at him after noticing him looking at her.

'You had fun too right?'

'…'

Deciding to not reply for a while as he settled his own thoughts, Keima wondered; what was wrong with him? This situation was certainly a first, although he knew what this entailed, the hints and what the girl was doing clear to him.

No, he refused to give her the chance to expand on this situation. There was no doubt that this was probably the _first_ time that he had been approached in this way and with the flags all laid up for him to advance this relationship further.

Yes, this was the **Capturing God**'s first ever chance to land a platonic relationship with a girl in the **real!**

It was so unbelievable that if Mari knew about it, she would be throwing a party at Cafe Grandpa now and if the girls ever found out about this revelation, all hell would break loose.

The alliance between the girls would collapse and he would be at the mercy of the girl's attempt to accept them all over again. All that balancing of affection scores, scheduling of meet ups as well as fighting off claims of bias was going to waste if this girl took the next step to be better acquainted with him!

No, he refused to be baited or tempted by the **real!** He was the **Capturing God** and there was no way that he would give way so easily!

'Neh~~ I'm asking you a question, Katsuragi-san!'

Pulling and tugging at his hands and making it hard for him to press the buttons on his PFP, Keima turned to glare at her, the glint from his glasses making him seem more intimidating than before and Keima wasn't surprised and was quite relieved to see Eru stepping back a little.

'Mou~ That's mean of Katsuragi-san! I know you want to play your games, but I would expect you to reply me at least, please?'

Seeing that she had recovered and was smiling in response to his intimidation technique, Keima sighed before shrugging in response. Normally he would have shrugged this girl away but she was more persistent than he could imagine. Didn't she know of his reputation?

'… I didn't... you're stopping me from doing what I want.'

Replying bluntly and coldly, Keima went back to his games even as she digested his harmful words and lowered her head.

'Katsuragi-san is behaving like a child neh~~ Gomen nasai! I was too occupied with the 2B Pencils that I didn't realize what I was doing, would you accept my apology?'

In a certain aspect, she was speaking the truth as she really was treating him like a small child... it made him feel a little odd inside him as he looked away unhappily, deciding not to reply to her at all.

..

It was like Fuse Aoba said; the **Capturing God **was weak to 'attack-types', the type that Miyabi Eru belonged to. She hovered around Keima, oblivious to the 2B Pencils keeping a wary eye on her from the distance.

'Neh... it isn't good to spy on him, is it?'

Miyako asked in concern but she was quickly silenced when almost all of the girls glared at her and her suggestion.

'… This is bad.'

'I guess it is.'

'… Should I contact Aoba-san then?'

* * *

**Author's Notes: Somehow I feel that I'll be revisiting this chapter again eventually.**


	43. Getting Closer

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 43: Getting Closer**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, ****_AKAAkira_**** for the beta edit and comments for this arc as well.**

**Quite honestly, I'm running out of ideas on how to name the newer chapters...**

* * *

..

The girl known as Miyabi Eru was chatting happily with some members of the 2B Pencils even as they made their way home. It was inevitable that they would have to tackle the 'problem' head on but none of them were able to mask their amusement or surprise at how differently Keima was handling this person.

It was with some kind of perverse pleasure that they admit that if nothing else, it was tit for tat for Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God,** for his treatment to them.

Now, the girls were not saying that Keima treated them badly, but there certainly were areas that he could actually work on and improve in.

Yes, they admit that Keima's attitude and behaviour towards them was leaps and bounds better than a few months ago, but it was still a work in progress.

The main problem with Keima was not that he _wasn't_ sensitive. He was quite the shrewd and perceptive person, as he knew what the girls wanted... but the problem was that even if he knew what the girls wanted or was hinting towards, he would try to find a way to get out of it.

No, not out of it... but to find an alternative thing to do that would fulfil the girl's wishes. One couldn't help but applaud his dedication to make sure that he had all the winning hands with him at all times...

But it was exactly that side of him that made the girls feel a little short-changed despite everything that he has done for them. He was... nice? That's what the girls couldn't deny but they wanted more than just 'nice'!

For many of them, Keima was their white knight, their Prince Charming... but right now Keima was closer in description to the second prince, or the prince's brother.

Sure, he had almost the same qualities that a Prince had but he was not treating any of them like a princess that he was trying to win the hear of.

That was the general consensus that the girls agreed on and although they thought that it wasn't really a bad thing per se, it was not a good thing either.

A status quo might be what Keima wanted but it was definitely NOT what the girls wanted... hence they were all a little curious and amused at how this new 'entry' was handling Keima.

The obvious discomfort was a surprise to most of the girls that were present; Keima had always seemed to be in control but now it seemed that Keima was losing his touch.

..

As he would put it, Miyabi Eru had the initiative and it seemed that there was nothing that Keima could do to get the girl to surrender that advantage. On hindsight, the girls realized a little too late that Keima was probably not used to dealing with members of the opposite sex after all.

It was a funny and hilarious thought but it wasn't totally impossible as well. When was the last time that Keima was seen with a girl that was not Elsi or any of the 'captured' girls? Probably never and on hindsight, it was Keima himself that was avoiding everyone else! Besides Elsi and the 'captured' girls, there wasn't anyone that Keima could call a friend or an associate with, was there?

He... probably was bad with the opposite sex if there wasn't a set script or relationship that had been established beforehand.

Katsuragi Keima always used to be in the driving seat of the relationship; he was the **Capturing God** after all. But this time it was different.

The relationship that had formed between him and Miyabi Eru was not formed or determined by him, it was decided and forged by Miyabi Eru. Even if Keima could try to find and guide the girl towards the appropriate relationship that he preferred to have with her, it was akin to the passenger of a car trying to take over the wheel from the driver.

It was hopeless and the girls wondered how Keima would deal with the situation if this continued. They were aware that it was possible but still unlikely that this particular girl would fall for Keima and so... it was worth the risk for this once in a life time experience! Right?

'How did all of you know Katsuragi-san?'

Popping the question suddenly, Eru looked around in confusion as neither of the girls knew exactly how to respond till she supplied the answer for them with a careless laugh.

'A-Ah! I've forgotten! Katsuragi-san must be Elly's big brother?! Right!'

Turning to look at him in another new light, Eru then turned to Elsi, who started at the cheerful girl's question once again.

'So Katsuragi-san must have seen all of you perform beforehand right? That's great! I wish I can listen to all of you perform again...'

Pouting a little as she turned back to Keima again, Eru started to pester Keima for more details about the types of songs that the 2B Pencils were fond of playing even as the other girls looked at each other, desperately trying to find a reason for allocating that VIP seat to him.

It... really was a VIP seat as they were unsure as to how they could get Keima to have a front row seat without alienating or making him leave due to the comments of the others about him.

Even if Keima said and appeared to have shrugged off the nasty comments that were still being said about him, the girls themselves felt bad they had to expose him to such abuse because of their selfish wish.

Hence they had come up with that method and although it was really odd, it served a dual purpose, to show their fans that they supported and were indebted to Keima as a group.

Well, besides Miyako... their friend had surprisingly given them the go-ahead though, without questioning them at all about their motives.

'Ah... Miyabi... desu ka?'

When they finally decided on a single explanation, Chihiro called out to her and smiled a little as Keima sighed while returning to his games. It was one of the few times that Chihiro saw Keima unable to deal with the situation in front of him. That said, she liked this girl as she was straightforward, positive and was willing to look past what was presented in front of her.

Well, perhaps she was praising and painting a picture of Miyabi Eru the way she wanted to see... but she really appreciated her presence here as it helped numb and distracted Keima from the potentially awkward atmosphere earlier.

'Mm! You can call me Eru-chan if you like, Chihiro-san!'

'Ahaha~~ If that's really what you want...'

'Mm! I'm a great fan of you as well, Chihiro-san!'

'I-Is that so...?'

Scratching her head, Chihiro realized that Eru was leading her to another topic altogether and she gathered her wits and willpower together to keep herself from being pulled away by Eru.

Was this what Keima had to deal with? One couldn't help but feel a little confused at how easy it was for her to drive the conversation into what she wanted it to be... but perhaps she was just flattered by her words...? Ugh, thinking of the possibilities gave her a headache!

'B-Back to the topic, Eru-chan...'

'Eheh~~ I feel happy that Chihiro-san is calling me by that!'

'I-Is that so- No, that's not it!'

She did it again and Chihiro shook her head before narrowing her eyes at her. Miyabi Eru was a normal looking girl like herself, although she had her own distinctive characteristic that separated her from the rest. Chihiro too had her own distinctive feature... that was, probably the lack of it.

That was it?! ARGHHH! THAT PISSES HER OFF!

..

'Chihiro-san?'

Chihiro blinked and coughed in surprise when she realized she had probably stalled there for a few moments, lost in her own thoughts, before continuing her line of thought again.

'Back to the topic, Eru...'

'Aww... You didn't call me Eru-chan again...'

'… W-Would you stop it? It's hard for me to explain anything if you keep interrupting me!'

Sighing in frustration, Chihiro caught sight of Keima aiming a look at her even as the **Capturing God** let loose another long sigh of suffering to show that he sympathized with her and what she was going through right now.

That was definitely a first in her book and she nodded in acknowledgement before returning to Eru.

'Katsuragi helped us a lot, most of us anyway, so we owe him. Oi, Katsuragi! Did you enjoy it? Tell us what you felt about it!'

Deciding to go on without letting Eru interrupt her again, Chihiro walked over to Keima who seemed a little relieved to deal with her rather than Eru.

That said, Eru tagged on to the rest of the girls immediately as they just smiled at her. Most of them didn't know how to deal with such an unexpected 'challenger' to the race, if she was at all so they were a little distant from her. Something that Miyabi Eru was quick to pick up but probably misunderstood, hoping that they were a little tentative just solely because they were unsure how to treat her as both a fan and as a friend.

'Neh, neh... may... may I ask you something, Elly?'

Calling Elsi by the nickname that most of the students called her by, with the exception of those close to her of course, Eru picked the right individual to interact with as the demon girl was someone who couldn't refuse anyone.

'S-Sure... What is it, Eru-san?'

'Mm mm... is it just me or is your big brother a little odd?'

The remaining girls looked at each other and gave a half-hearted sigh as one, causing Eru to blink in surprise as Elsi tried to salvage Keima's image or pride or whatever he had left by herself.

'A-Ano... Kami-Onii-sama is always like that... is it odd?'

'No, not at all.'

Her reply caused most of the girls to give a 'HUH?!' in response, especially Miyako and Yui, who seemed a little scandalized at how easily Eru accepted Keima's defining quirk. The other girls however just looked to the side and told themselves that they HADN'T gotten used to Keima doing that already and thus was numb to it.

No, was it alright to say that because it was Keima, the term: 'I Game, Therefore I Am' works on him?

'T-That's not odd... that's a relief! I thought for sure that Eru-san would say that Kami-Onii-sama is odd.'

'No it isn't at all! I have a few friends who are like that! At least Katsuragi-san pays attention to others when he is gaming! It's rude for a boy to ignore a girl who is speaking to her, neh?'

Looking at the other girls for support and finding them quite easily, Eru smiled even as Elsi nodded in agreement as well.

'Eru-san knows of others who is the same as Kami-Onii-sama?'

'Mm! Some of the boys in my class are like that, gaming after school in their clubs and my younger cousins are like that too! So I don't think it's odd at all.'

Elsi seemed relieved and even cheered up by that. Out of all the girls, Elsi was one of the few girls who has been with Keima from the start and has became accustomed to the scene. No, one should say that she didn't expect anything less from her Kami-Onii-sama but perhaps deep down she knew that it wasn't normal at all too?

No, she definitely did... and was just trying to cover for Keima. If that was the case, she was doing quite a fine job at that.

'I'm glad... Thank you, Eru-san.'

'Mm! It's no problem! I do find one thing odd though... would you mind if I ask you about it?'

..

Blinking in surprise at yet another sudden question, Elsi nodded tentatively even as Eru beamed at her. She was definitely a curious individual but she seemed to mean well as she leaned towards Elsi, urging her to come closer as she strove to whisper the question to her.

'Why do you call Katsuragi-san as 'Kami-Onii-sama'?'

'E-Eh.. .Etou... well...'

It was a question that the other girls too had asked Elsi quite some time ago. It was beyond hero worship; the respect that Elsi had shown Keima at the start was perhaps the reason their buddy and partner relationship had blossomed..

If not for that respect, the two probably wouldn't have been able to get as far as they were right now... so that definitely counted for something. The problem was how Elsi would be able to put it across to Eru without demeaning its worth.

'It's... a secret, gomen, Eru-san... it's something important between Kami-Onii-sama and me.'

Using the easiest way out, Elsi smiled as Eru seemed more curious than before but at the same time, she didn't seem eager to pry that out from Elsi either.

'I see... it's something personal neh? I won't force Elly to tell me that then...'

She was disappointed, Elsi could see that, but she was adamant in not telling her anything at all as well. She nodded in reply

'Mm, thank you! It's something very important... so gomen, I can't tell you at all.'

Miyabi Eru nodded back even as they reached the bus-stop near their school. This place was where Miyako and Yui had to leave the group, Miyako to take a bus back and Yui to wait for her chauffeur after she was allowed to walk home with her friends.

Seeing that some of the girls had to take alternative routes back home, the 2B Pencils proceeded to disband at that spot, with Eru joining Miyako and Yui at the bus stop and the rest of the girls following Keima and Elsi down the stretch of road again.

Yui had been amazingly quiet the entire time but Keima knew better, the heiress, another heiress too, had been listening in onto Eru's conversations and questions with Keima. She probably hoped to gather more information and intelligence for her own use along the way. Despite his own reservations about that, Keima didn't fault her. It only proved how far she was willing to go to capture his heart. He was impressed, yes, but that doesn't mean that he _liked_ what Yui was doing.

..

'… Keima-kun...'

After a few moments of silence, Ayumi couldn't bear it anymore and touched him on the shoulder which caused Keima to flinch a little before he recovered from that sudden touch.

'Ehhh...? Katsuragi...'

Despite Ayumi looking and probably feeling hurt at his response, Chihiro raised an eyebrow as she put two and two together before accusing Keima of the fact that he was trying to ignore or deny.

'Was that your first 'friend'?'

'… I do not know what you are talking about. My friends are here.'

Pointing at his PFP stubbornly, Chihiro refused to allow him to escape and she clamped on to that train of thought to deny Keima the right to dismiss her statement earlier. With a devious smile growing on her face, Chihiro pointed at the retreating Keima even as Ayumi and Elsi looked at her in anticipation.

'That's not it! That's why Katsuragi couldn't deal with the situation at all, wasn't it?! Even if it was by accident, that was a real 'friend' that you made! I don't know what kind of friendship you'll form with that girl, but it's true that was your first friend in a long, long time, isn't it?!'

Chihiro was kind enough to assume that Keima had a friend before, which... no one could really confirm as they knew that Keima would rather die in a fire than let that kind of information slip out.

'Nonsense, why would I be intimidated by a simple _girl_.'

Speaking the word 'girl' like it was a curse word, Keima returned to his usual haughty, lecturing self but was quickly interrupted by Elsi, who seemed to have taken a leaf out of Miyabi Eru's book to exclaim.

'Kami-Onii-sama is weak against attack-types! That's what Aoba-chan said! So that's what she means neh? Because Kami-Onii-sama didn't know how to react properly to Eru-san's words, Kami-Onii-sama couldn't make her mad?'

Keima glared at Elsi angrily but then paled just a little when Chihiro and Ayumi digested that train of thought. Even if Aoba had made that information public knowledge amongst the girls, it had been difficult for the girls to understand what it truly meant. But now that Elsi had figured it out, Ayumi and Chihiro had new 'weapons' to help deal with Keima!

'Nonsense, Elsi. There is no way that I am unable to deal with a girl in the **real**. With no archetype and no set roles, she is nothing more than a simple prop added in to advance the plot! We can call her as 'Random Stranger B' or perhaps an NPC. Right, you can imagine her to have a pre-determined set of lines like: 'I think I saw Kozoe walk down the hallway'...'

Although it seemed that Elsi has cracked the code, none of them were able to deal with Keima's long-winded ranting and explanation of terms that they didn't understand.

No, it seemed that only Miyabi Eru was able to do that to her advantage... the secret in how she was able to do so would probably never be revealed.

'Besides, it is unlikely that we would ever meet again.'

* * *

..

'Ah, isn't this Keima-san?!'

It seemed that his prayer wasn't answered as on the way to school, Keima started to hear a very familiar voice call out to him and it took the entirety of his will to stop himself from reacting at all to her words. If he was lucky, she would be offended and never talk to him again!

'Keima-san! Keima-san! Or... or should I be calling you Katsuragi-san instead?'

Hearing footsteps behind him, Keima told himself to keep gaming, to keep a conversation with Asami, who was walking with him to school today, to tune out the girl that was surely approaching him from behind.

'Katsuragi-san!'

'K-Keima-san... there's someone...'

It seemed that Asami herself wasn't able to hide her curiosity or jealousy at knowing that another girl was calling out to him and he sighed before slowly looking back to see none other than Miyabi Eru smiling at him happily, face red from trying to catch up to them by running.

'Good morning, Kat-... I mean, if it's okay, Keima-san!'

'…'

'Ano... you are...?'

'Ah! Ah! Gomen!'

Eru apparently only noticed the upset look on Asami's face, or perhaps the tone that hinted that Asami was a little ticked off at how this girl had come between the two of them.

Or perhaps she was just upset at being ignored, Keima wasn't too sure... Asami had always been an individual who was especially hard to read and when she was upset, it was a maelstrom of emotions so blended together that Keima could never figure out which emotion was dominant from one moment to another.

' You are Keima-san's girlfriend, neh?'

'E-EHH!?'

* * *

**Author's Notes: Do tell me how you feel about her, Eru I mean, AKAAkira has been very vocal about what he felt. :laughs:**


	44. Many Questions

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 44: Many Questions**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: This chapter is brought to you with the help of ****_AKAAkira,_**** thank you for your beta as always!**

* * *

..

Was it divine luck? Or were the gods out to test his patience all over again? Keima wasn't totally sure but he was certain that someone, somewhere out there was laughing at his misfortune here...

It really bugged him... but he was not going to let it get to his head even as he looked to the side discreetly to see Asami and Eru getting along together.

Jarring as it was to realize that he had started to call the girl, Miyabi Eru, with her given name instead of her family name, Keima remained steadfast and composed. For now anyway.

After jarring and winning points in Asami's book by saying that to the normally shy girl, Asami had quickly taken to the other girl and was chatting with her happily at his expense.

Her earlier statement had caused Asami to blush red while trying to deny it but there was no mistaking how badly Asami wanted it to be true, causing Keima to sigh a little at how transparent she could be.

Well, Keima could understand her wish and desire for him to return those feelings, but even so... EVEN SO!

After determining further that Miyabi Eru was not interested in Keima at all, Asami had taken a few liberal steps like asking her directly what she felt for him.

Her answer was that Keima was an interesting person, a perfectly neutral and unexpected reply from the girl and it made Keima feel a little complicated inside when he heard it.

That complicated feeling grew when Eru giggled and told Keima to not worry too much about it.

_'After all, I just met Keima-san yesterday right? We would have plenty of time to know each other better!'_

That meant that she was looking forward to meeting him more? Knowing that she wanted to just do that made Keima even gloomier, considering how it was just the start of the day and he would have to deal with such an annoying girl.

Elsi and Chihiro were right in their earlier assessments of Miyabi Eru. The girl, this girl didn't have any specific archetype that could be linked fully to her. Yes, Keima was able to identity her with a few generic archetypes but since she was unaffiliated and in extension independent of the 'captured' girls or the related 'target' girls, she was someone that Keima could actually shrug off.

The problem was that she refused to do just that! With the added advantage that she was not from his class, was from his school and had the tendency to do whatever she liked on a whim, she was proving to be a tricky customer indeed.

..

The traits that defined her for now were definitely picked up by Chihiro, namely, her uncanny ability to direct the conversation into her favour or her liking. One could say that she was not guiding or directing them per se but akin to stuffing an entirely different new route in front of herself and her conversational partner, forcing them to go by her pace as she paved the conversational topic one by one.

Coupled that with her natural unpredictability, Keima had to admit that Miyabi Eru was either a superb air-head or was simply similar to another recent capture that he had wrapped up, Kureha Haruka.

With a wide range of hobbies, interests as well as having a disarmingly charming smile, Miyabi Eru was quickly building up rapport with Asami and the normally shy girl was quickly coming out of her shell.

Not many can lay claim to that feat and it was something that Keima was surprised and unnerved about. If she was able to become friends with Yoshino Asami, one of the few girls who had remained more or less unchanged and was still a little distant to the other girls, this meant that Miyabi Eru was a worthy 'adversary' indeed.

Perhaps she was someone sent by the '**real' **to interfere with his time with the **world** that he belonged to?! That means... WAR!

'Keima-san? What's wrong?'

Jumping a little as she interrupted his train of thought, Keima dragged his eyes away from his PFP to look at the two girls, both of them looking at him curiously even as they walked to school together.

'…?'

Tilting his head a little before returning to his games, Keima heard Eru ask Asami whether he was always like that.

'Mm mm... Keima-san has always been dedicated to his passion.'

Laying it a little thick to salvage his pride, Asami found out that she really didn't need to do that as Eru simply nodded in acknowledgement to her words and statement, looking at Keima with an expression of respect and even awe.

'Truly... his dedication to his games is truly amazing! it's rare for anyone to able to fully focus and dedicate himself to anything that easily? I heard that if people with focus like that would just apply 10% to whatever he should be doing on any other subject, the results would still be much more than what we ordinary people would be capable of!'

Smiling as she recited some random fact from a random source, Miyabi Eru was being as unpredictable as Keima had labelled her as and her spontaneous statement had indeed won her some praise as Asami seemed happy and pleased that someone else was recognizing and acknowledging Keima's hidden talents and abilities.

'That's right... I... I really think if Keima-san could just redirect some of that genius...'

She trailed off, feeling very embarrassed as Keima simply rolled his eyes and continued with his gaming. It was more of a defeat than a victory though, Miyabi Eru had lost the battle but won the war as she did make Keima conscious of her being around him.

No matter what nefarious acts she was plotting, the **Capturing God** refused to be taken in by her!

* * *

..

'Bye bye, Asami-chan! Keima-san!'

Waving to them cheerfully and leaving for her own class, it turned out that Miyabi Eru was their senior, was in Class 3-C, and apparently was a friend of Fuse Aoba. Keima took note to gather some intelligence on this new girl even as he and Asami entered their class together.

Unsurprisingly, Elsi and the rest of the 2B Pencils were there waiting for him, the exception being Yui who was probably being chased by her adoring fans as per the norm.

'Good morning, Asami-chan!'

Greeting her, Ayumi beamed even as Keima nodded to the rest of the girls. It was very scary, not to mention a little disappointing, to acknowledge, see and then to confirm that the **real** was very susceptible to habit. A few months of being 'accepted' as part of the 2B Pencils as well as the gaggle of girls, the entire class had more or less gotten used to that sight as well.

Of course, the tag of the _Otamegane_ had not entirely disappeared but instead of it just being used to instead of his name, that nickname was now used more of an insult to him, or a kind of name-calling by individuals who were not happy and upset at the reversal of fortunes that he had been 'lucky' enough to bear witness to. Well, it was always like that before but there really wasn't a _real_ ill intent towards him. Now however, he knew that the male population were very upset with him, further ostracising him and making it all too clear that like it or not, he was more popular with the opposite gender.

Keima supposed that he should feel lucky that there weren't any guys who wanted his help to hook them up with one of the girls.

The majority of the student population were unsure how to deal with the sudden change in Keima's reputation and most of them decided to just call him by his name, like any of the other students in class. Similarly, Elsi had been called 'Katsuragi Imouto' or just as Elsi or Elly in some cases.

Her reputation however, had not changed much since the day she transferred and she was widely known as a very dedicated sister who had a major crush on her big brother.

Back to the topic however, Keima raised an eyebrow when he saw one of the girls that he wanted to talk to about Miyabi Eru sitting on his table, patiently clicking on the PFP that she held in her hands.

'Fuse.'

He called out to her softly and he was satisfied to see that she was unfazed. Or perhaps the right way to phrase that would be that she was too focused, a trait that he was happy to see Fuse manage even while in the middle of the noisy classroom. He shook his head a little too when he couldn't help but remember the conversation Eru had with all of them earlier.

He too was perfectly capable of that feat when he wanted to shut the entire **real** away from him but it was an opportunity that was given to him much less than he would have liked.

No, he should say that the **real** was conspiring to make it almost impossible for him to just settle down and have a good game or two... But right now the **real** was offering him a lifeline and he should grab it before everything spiralled out of control.

..

'Miyabi...?'

Looking confused at the name that he presented to her, Aoba's brow cleared when he gave the full name of Miyabi Eru and she nodded in acknowledgement of that name.

'Ah yes, Miyabi Eru-san... Yes, she and I are acquaintances. She was present in one of the conventions that I was attending and she made herself known to me. Although it has been a while since she has interacted with me, she does send me mails on a regular basis.'

The news was new to the girls that were listening into their conversation unabashedly and without reservation. Fuse Aoba having a friend too? That was a surprise! Even if the girls didn't want to admit it openly, they were a little... intimidated and distanced when it came to Aoba, especially if she was gaming.

All of them appreciated her advice, dedication as well as her clarity and ability to stand up to Keima. However that was all that they were able to approve of. She was probably the first after Elsi when it came to understanding Keima's thought processes and the girls admitted that it took a certain amount of courage to delve so deeply into the consciousness of Keima and the games that he called the **world **and the **ideal.**

But beyond all that, Fuse Aoba was odd and as weird and eccentric as Keima was. This was highlighted with her own reputation as well; that of an undying genius **ice princess** in class.

She was as infamous in school as Keima and it was perhaps not very surprising for the two of them to be linked or brought up together.

Aoba's reputation hadn't changed that much too as she was quite still distant to many of the 'captured' girls and thus couldn't really be linked to them and to Keima besides the most juicy rumours. Yes, she struck up friendship with some of the girls like Asami, Shiori, Tsukiyo and Mio but they were just acquaintances more than anything else. However that doesn't mean that they didn't like her, many of the shyer girls did like her a lot and the others respected her for who she was.

This was especially true of, Shiori and Asami and despite the three of them sharing their preferences in peace and quiet, hardly the best way to make friends, they had gotten closer than anyone of them had realized..

'…'

The others who had actually made a short gasp in surprise, less of an exaggeration and more of surprise blushed red as they looked away from Aoba, no doubt embarrassed by their reaction

She was apparently insulted in the girls' lack of faith and belief in her, Fuse Aoba turned up her nose a little as she stared at Keima and Keima only, even as the others looked apologetic as Aoba complained.

'Even I have acquaintances outside of all of you. It might not be my intention to do so, but I do find it a good way to pass the time, especially if we share the same ideals.'

Seeing Keima raise an eyebrow at that, Fuse Aoba narrowed her eyes as she told him bluntly that unless she was a 'capture' target, there was no way that she would be divulging personal information like that to anyone, even him.

'It is a matter of personal privacy, **Kami-sama.**'

The girls were all used to Aoba calling Keima as Kami-sama by now and similar to Elsi, they did not want to know the details. For as incredible as it seemed that all of them had fallen for Katsuragi Keima, the more amazing part would be how he could make two girls, two perfectly 'normal', have that kind of hero-worship for him.

'I have the duty to protect their privacy, **Kami-sama**... so unless you have a perfectly valid reason to kno-'

Aoba's tirade was cut short when Keima asked her whether she was eliminating the competition with a perfectly straight face.

To Aoba's credit and not to the other girls, who were blushing when they heard him, she was barely fazed, choosing instead to sigh and place her PFP down to concentrate on her argument.

'That is not true at all, Kami-sama... to think that you would be-'

'You were never that emotional, Fuse. Stop buying time and give me the truth.'

Pinching the bridge of his nose to get rid of the headache that was forming again, Keima grimaced when Fuse smiled a little at that gesture. Now she knew that Keima was hot and bothered over the issue, Aoba was going to milk it for all that she was worth.

It wasn't that often that Aoba was able to do that and seeing that this wasn't an 'incident', where Keima would have cut her off curtly by now, Aoba wanted to mess around with Keima for just a little while longer.

..

The **Capturing God** wasn't perfect but he was as close as he could possibly be when it came to his 'capturing' skills. Sure, he might be a little in the uptake when executing his plan and was not as almighty and invincible as everyone expected him to be but in the end, he got the job done, softy or not.

Regardless of the price, what he had to do and what he had to endure... he would finish the job perfectly.

For someone like Fuse, who could not meet that record, not that she could try, Keima was her natural counter and living proof that no matter how much of a genius she was as compared to Keima, there were things that she just could not hope to overcome.

'Enough with this, **Mai-Hime**. I want information and whether it is through you or through someone else, I will obtain it.'

Losing his temper, Keima snapped at Aoba in irritation, causing quite a stir in the classroom as everyone noticed that the two oddest individuals in school were squaring off with each other.

'You would have to get it from another source then, **Capturing God-sama**. It is something that I do not wish to divulge without explicit permission from her.'

Calling his bluff with a small grimace, Aoba and Keima glared at each other till the bell rang, causing the confrontation between the two of them to remain unfinished.

'Tsk...'

Keima couldn't help but click his tongue in frustration even as Fuse Aoba left the room resolutely.

* * *

..

_If only Keima could see this now, Haqua de Lut Herminium mused to herself even as she sat together with Shiori and Asami in a quiet corner of the school during lunch._

_The standoff between Aoba and Keima had been spread through word of mouth. It was something that never ever happened before, as Aoba and Keima were well known to be very close, shockingly so..._

_By lunchtime, the entire school knew about the pseudo fight and that meant that no matter what happened in that period, Aoba was forced to take refuge with her friends instead of sticking by Keima's side like she wanted to be._

_She too had her own pride and stubborn streak but that side of her was totally demolished when Fuse started talking to Haqua and the other two girls._

_Asami was forced to come along with Aoba after she stormed in, grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away, leaving Elsi to 'claim' her stake as the provider for Keima's lunch, much to her discontentment._

_The same thing happened to Shiori and Haqua, although the latter was actually quite curious about how the whole thing turned out._

_'… Was I too hard on him? I... I really did not mean for this to happen.'_

_Drinking her can of fruit juice unhappily, Aoba was lamenting to all that was listening that she was remorseful for her hard stance on Keima. Despite everything that the __**Mai-Hime**_ _was capable of, in the end, deep inside her, in an area that was rarely shown to others, she was a girl at heart too._

_'… W-Would he dislike me after this? Kami-sama... he is someone who is very stubborn and proud... but so am I... looking back, I think that I was too stubborn after all! Perhaps I should...'_

_Aoba had started on this ever since Haqua broke the topic over lunch. It was going so well too, with Aoba being all stoic and unflappable. The cold war between her and him was just starting but it seemed that Keima had the last laugh as Aoba was behaving more like an insecure teenager than the ice princess she was known to be._

_Thankfully no one else was around to see her personality break down. Still, image break much?_

_Haqua doesn't have any words of comfort for Aoba. In fact if she was allowed to say so, she was very disappointed with Aoba and her currently pathetic performance._

_'…'_

_Wait a minute, that meant that..._

..

_Haqua suddenly smiled to herself as she remembered how hard it was at the beginning to deal with Fuse Aoba. The __**Mai-hime**_ _was as powerful as her reputation and she had been forced to go through many humiliating and embarrassing things for her amusement._

_Well, that wasn't exactly how it happened but to Haqua, the majority of it was embarrassing... and this was the perfect opportunity to get back at Aoba when she was vulnerable!_

_A demon had to be evil, or else they weren't demons, right?! Admittedly, Haqua knew that such petty pranks were below Keima but she really didn't care at this moment! Potential blackmail material was plastered all over Aoba right now!_

_'I-I'm sure that Keima-san... won't be too mad... at Aoba-san...'_

_Even Asami wasn't entirely sure of herself as she looked at her lunch, a little forlorn and upset at being unable to be with Keima. That said, Haqua was certain that some of the girls would take advantage of this situation to stay by Keima's side._

_'Daijobu... Aoba-san... Katsuragi-san... won't be mad at you if you apologized to him...'_

_Shiori offered the advice meekly even as she nibbled at the portion that Asami had shared with her. The timid librarian was considering whether she should drop by the library but had been pulled from her refuge by Fuse, who was now consulting them for advice on the situation._

_To the two of them, it was a big shock but more than anything else, they felt happy that she was able to confide in them. It proved that their friendship was much stronger than they had imagined._

_Well, perhaps Aoba didn't have anyone to confide in at all but they didn't want to explore that venue of thought at all. That would be quite saddening for Aoba if they did._

_'I... I'm not going to apologize.'_

_Aoba declared this stubbornly and that caused all of the girls to smile wryly. Even if she was just a little insecure, she was still Fuse Aoba and she had her own pride to consider as well._

_'O-Only after Kami-sama apologizes to me... he can't be allowed to get used to getting all the information that he requires without paying for it... He just... doesn't appreciate it...'_

_Oh, it seemed that Fuse was feeling neglected and taken advantage of and that struck a chord with most of the girls that were present._

_Shiomiya Shiori had been involved in the capture of Konoe Rea and it had been quite a traumatizing experience for her, even more so than Tsukiyo and even the 'reward' that she received was insufficient to balance it out._

_As for Asami, she had been the individual who was sidelined more than once thanks to Keima's 'assignments'. She was trying very hard not to be bitter, but it was so, so hard... especially when one considers how much indignation she had to endure between the captures till the memory reset. Like Shiori, there were scars that couldn't quite disappear even with time._

_For Haqua, this was an issue that was rooted deep inside her heart and she suddenly popped open her own can of juice and shared a toast with Aoba, drinking it down quickly before saying amen to that._

_'… I agree with you, Aoba... he has to stop taking advantage of us like this.'_

_Haqua declared suddenly and unsurprisingly, the other two girls accepted the cans of juice that Haqua magically produced. All four of them drank to that happily._

_'A-Ara... took... advantage?'_

_Whirling behind, all of them were shocked to see the arrival of a certain Miyabi Eru as she smiled and waved at a scandalized Aoba._

_'Aoba-chan! We need to talk!'_

* * *

**Author's Notes: Aaand... Well, I have no notes this round.**


	45. A Side Story

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 45: A Side Story**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: This chapter's beta is done by ****_AKAAkira!_**** Now if he could just pick up the pace... aha~ But I can't take all of his time...**

* * *

..

_'You... like those games, don't you?'_

That was the first line that Fuse Aoba remembered from Miyabi Eru, a person that became an acquaintance of her. Out of all the people, the random strangers that were present in that convention on that day, she was the one who approached her.

Was it fate? Or was it just plain bad luck that made the two of them meet each other.

Miyabi Eru, a senior and one of the few who actually acknowledged her just the same as how Keima did so. Aoba never did know why she did that, why she could... accept so many weird and odd things that were not from the norm.

In the end, she tagged her as an individual who was universally accepting, cheerful and was friends with everyone. A universal 'Onee-chan' or 'Big sister' character if she ever had one.

Surprisingly though, it seemed that the assessment was not as accurate as she would have thought as Aoba never once saw her with any close friends, or see her being greeted by any of the juniors or even her own classmates when she was with her.

That was odd, seeing how her cheerful demeanour and positive outlook in life, at least compared to her, was sure to win her some friends.

Perhaps... she was just too nosy for her own good? That was a consideration that Aoba had weighed in at one point but had dismissed it, or perhaps she should say that it slipped her mind ever since she became reunited with the **Capturing God**.

Aoba was never one to seek her out actively; Miyabi Eru would be the one to find her instead. The reason that name had slipped from her mind was because of the long absence in Aoba's life and the many 'activities' that had happened with the **Capturing God**. Was Miyabi avoiding her? Or was she simply being tactful and chose not to meet up with her when she was tied up with Keima?

If that was so... why did she suddenly appear now of all times?

..

'We need to talk, Aoba-chan!'

Looking at them seriously, Miyabi Eru's sudden appearance jarred Aoba and for a moment she wasn't able to speak, staring at her with her mouth wide open till she finally recovered.

'M-Miyabi-san...'

It was definitely odd to see Aoba using the suffix '-san' behind anyone's name; it showed that at the very least, Aoba respected this individual and it was enough to make the rest pay attention to her.

'Mm! That's my name! But didn't I say that you can call me, Eru, Aoba-chan?'

Greeting them happily, Eru giggled even as the girls looked at each other in shock. The only exception was Asami, who smiled and waved at her timidly. This was the individual that had made Keima so riled up? The accounts they received were generally over exaggerated, with Asami and Aoba being the two that were unaffected by the wild claims from the girls.

'Konnichiwa, Asami-chan! I hope I'm not intruding neh?'

Smiling at them as she invited herself to sit down besides Aoba, who was looking a little stricken, Eru whirled around to continue the conversation.

'What's this about being taken advantage of? Tell me, Aoba-chan! And you girls too! Is Keima-san taking advantage of all of you?!'

Hardly looking menacing at all, Miyabi blinked when she noticed that she didn't introduce herself to the other two girls and she turned to Shiori as she beamed at the shy girl.

'You must be Aoba-chan and Asami-chan's friend, how may I address you?'

With the sudden question, Shiori was caught off guard but she rallied herself a few seconds later and bowed in reply, hiding her face under the table as she bowed deeply to her senior.

'I-I'm...S-Shiomiya... S-Shiomiya... Shiomiya, Shiori...'

It was a reply that was expected from Shiori and although it was rough around the edges, Eru beamed and then turned to the last individual, Haqua, who was studying the scene curiously.

'And you must be... Haqua... Du... Lut... Herminium... right? It's a pleasure to finally meet you!'

'A-Ah, that's right... It is a pleasure to meet you too... I'm Haqua.'

Looking politely confused as Eru recognized her, Haqua probably didn't realize that she was infamous in school for being the transfer student that had somehow magically managed to get close to both the _Otamegane_ and the _Mai-Hime_ in one fell swoop.

..

'How did you...'

'How did I recognize you, Haqua? It's easy! There isn't really many transfer students here in Mai-High after all. And even fewer students who have their hair dyed like yours. I think it looks very nice, Haqua~'

Beaming and looking at her with eager looking eyes, Haqua recoiled slightly but managed to crack a small smile at her nonetheless. Even if she was just a little eccentric, she couldn't beat Keima at all. This was nothing compared to what Keima could do.

'A-Ah, arigato...'

With Haqua scratching her head in embarrassment, silence reigned for a moment before Eru went back to talking with Aoba, who had returned to her most commonly used Poker Face that signalled that she really didn't want to talk about it.

'Aoba-chan, Aoba-chan! Leave it to your onee-chan! I just met Keima-san and he's a very nice boy! I can understand why you are interested in him, but you can't let him take advantage of all of you girls, okay?'

Looking at all of them one by one, Eru blinked when Shiori suddenly blurted out a question, her curiosity probably getting the better of her in the end.

'A-Ano.. w-why... why is... K-Katsuragi-san 'n-nice'?'

Eru looked as though she was seriously considering that question agaub for a while before replying.

'Keima-san is an interesting person! I just met him, but he's very interesting! So he must be a nice boy, neh?'

With no hint of malice or interest at all, Eru gave her judgement of Keima and that made most of the girls relieved, causing Eru to raise an eyebrow in surprise before snapping her fingers in realization.

'A-Ah, that's right! It isn't just Aoba-chan is it?! It's all of you too! Neh neh, tell me, do you like Keima-san after all?'

Popping the question without warning, Eru giggled and smiled when all of the girls blushed and tried to avoid looking at her eager and prying eyes. Eru didn't see herself being very inquisitive by nature but she couldn't help herself as all of her juniors were so cute!

Ah, she didn't know what to make of Keima too, her junior was as mysterious as they had made him out to be but there was... an air of loneliness about him. That was what made it so hard for Eru to ignore him when she saw him.

Initially she had believed that he was in the same level as her, sitting stoically and confidently in the front row and it was only after back-tracking and digging about for news of the famed 'Katsuragi' did she realize that he was her junior! With that knowledge in hand, it was much easier to try and stick her nose into his business.

She wasn't very inquisitive, but she really really wanted to know what made Keima 'tick' and it looked like she was going to get some help in that department from her lovely juniors!

..

'A-Ano...'

Finally finding her tongue, Asami mustered all of her courage and spoke out openly, as if on behalf of all the girls, who either hid their face behind a book, sipped tea while looking uninterested in that claim or had frozen in shock at being labelled that.

'W-What... what does... Eru-sempai... feel about Keima-san... then?'

'E-Ehhh! I asked first though!'

Faking and exaggerating as she exclaimed out loud, Eru smiled teasingly as she pondered, a finger on her chin, head tilted even as she thought about it for a while.

'He's an interesting boy! I haven't known him for very long, but he is a very interesting and mysterious person! But if you are worrying about whether I'm interested in him, I'm not! So don't worry, Asami-chan! I'll support _**all**_ of you, kay? May the best girl win!'

Smiling at all the girls, who seemed mostly relieved by her statement, Eru looked at Asami, expecting her to stake her claim but after a few minutes of nervous silence, Eru teased all of them when she suddenly spoke out aloud.

'Ah~~ If no one likes Keima-san, I guess I'll have to help the 2B Pencils then? I know that some of them do like Keima-san! And it'll be such a shame for them to be rejected...'

Biting her lip and smiling to herself at the same time, Eru noticed that the blood rushed to most of the girl's faces as they looked at each other. Perfect, they were playing right into her hands as Asami slowly and shyly said that she liked Katsuragi Keima.

'I... I do... Eru-sempai...'

Seeing her junior say that to her, holding her hands close to her chest in embarrassment not to mention shivering all the way, Eru couldn't help herself but be a little impressed at her dedication and devotion to Keima, not to mention confidence too! Asami didn't appear to be a very confident girl most of the time but it seems that she could make a stand for herself if properly motivated.

'Kyaaaaa! Asami-chan is so cute! It's like you are proposing to him too!'

Eru reached out to pet Asami on the head even as steam literally came out of Asami's ears while her mind played the scene over and over again in her head.

'M-Me too... I, too, like Katsuragi-san.'

It seemed that the other girl- Shiomiya, was it? -was not giving in to the challenge that was posed by Asami, and Eru smiled kindly at her as well. She was a timid girl, probably shyer than Asami as the poor girl could only manage to speak when it was regarding her dear Katsuragi-san.

Well, Eru didn't blame her as she had to stake her claim somehow and in some way before what she wanted was taken from her, wasn't that right?

..

Looking to the side at her most favored junior of all, Fuse Aoba, Eru smiled patiently as she had regained that cold and expressionless look of hers that made it hard for her to know exactly what she was thinking.

Eru didn't encourage her to stop using that facade but she wasn't trying to stop it either, there were still things that Aoba was uncomfortable showing or expressing, but she was at an age that was borderline acceptable.

Thus, Eru was patient with her... to a certain extent and she smiled a little deviously at Aoba, causing the girl to flinch ever so slightly, though not letting her stoic mask be broken by her.

'Ara ara, I guess Aoba-chan is what we call a 'tsundere', huh? I always thought that this day would come... but does any of you know what that means?'

There seemed to be a small cracking sound from Aoba's direction as Eru asked the other girls and it seemed to break the tension of the place, causing Haqua to let loose her laughter that she had been holding back for some time.

Ah, so Haqua does know what it meant! It's not that surprising considering how Eru had knew that Haqua and Aoba were good friends and friends of Aoba tend to pick up random trivia with their interactions with her.

'T-Tsundere?! Aoba?! AHAHAH! I can't stop laughing at that!'

Eru wasn't sure whether Haqua was either laughing in amusement at how Eru accused Aoba of being a tsundere or was forcing that label onto her. Eru knew she was anything but that... well, she wasn't confident enough to place money on that but even so...

'Tsundere... desu ka? Aoba-san...?'

With Asami looking at her curiously and Shiori joining her a moment later on, Eru spotted a very small twitch forming on Aoba's forehead, near her eyes and Eru smiled sweetly at her junior as she continued regardless of Aoba's thoughts on the matter.

'Mm! Tsundere! I know Aoba-chan likes Keima-san! Or should I call him Keima-kun, he is my junior after all neh? But back to the topic, Aoba-chan does like Keima-kun! And knowing that, I came down here to ask why she argued with Keima-kun when he asked for her help! But then I thought that she... she's might be so Tsundere that she can't admit it out loud!'

Eru was exaggerating too much and when she reached out to hug Haqua in mock sorrow, the supposedly girl recoiled in surprise but then she started snickering when Eru continued, paying no heed to how Aoba's eyes were really twitching now.

Asami and Shiori were twitching too, their smiles frozen as they tried not to laugh or giggle at Aoba's expense.

It was a really weird experience to see Aoba being in the receiving end of a little ridicule and teasing by someone other than Keima and to be honest, it was a little amusing to see that as well.

Now that all of them were firm friends, their friendship reaffirmed by Aoba's act of seeking their advie and having a chance of seeing her friend being human for a chance, the next logical step would be to accept and witness a little ribbing at their friend's expense! Now that was mean, even for the girls.. but it was par the course.

'You know, Haqua-chan, that Tsunderes typically make their love interest's life so hard as they couldn't help but rebut them along the way! Don't worry, Aoba-chan!'

With Haqua's help, Eru reached out to clasp Aoba's hands, who was looking really irritated by now, and continued with her dramatics. Miyabi Eru really, really liked to be overdramatic for her own good. She already had Haqua in stitches, holding her stomach in pain while Shiori had ducked down below the table to hide her laughter while and Asami had given up resisting, giggling just as hard as Haqua.

'Be patient, Aoba-chan, I'm sure that he would come and apologize to you after this and the two of you can share an intimate moment where you apologize to him in an off-handed fashion while hiding the feeling of euphoria that he indeed car-'

Eru was unable to finish as Aoba finally snapped, raising a finger at Eru and telling her in a low voice that she was not a tsundere!

..

'That belongs to Haqua! She is the one that is the tsundere here.'

She added suddenly as if on reflex, causing the demon's laughter to be cut out as she spluttered, unable to retort even as Eru switched targets, looking at Haqua questioningly. Besides Aoba, the other girl who had not said anything was Haqua. So was this girl a tsundere as well?

'Haqua-chan?'

'A-Ah, well... Katsuragi is different, kay? He's... odd but he's different! I don't know what I feel about him!'

At least she was truthful enough but then it was Eru's turn to lay the next groundwork for her next assault on Aoba. She was really having fun here! The girls were interesting and most importantly, most of them were honest with their feelings. It looked like she really had to dig deeper to know more about this Katsuragi Keima.

'Then, if Aoba-chan is not a tsundere... she's a kuudere then?'

'!'

The statement was enough to make Aoba turn bright red and the conversation that followed made it impossible for the girls to keep a straight face as they laughed, teased and poked fun at each other till the end of the lunch break.

..

'Mm...'

As the bell rang and they hurried back to their respective classes, Miyabi Eru smiled as Aoba asked her for her opinion on Katsuragi Keima again.

'Are you jealous, Aoba-chan?'

'No, that's not it.'

Returning to her business face, Aoba looked at Miyabi sternly and the older girl sighed as she acknowledged her concerns with her own serious face.

'… He is interesting, Aoba-chan... I... can't give you anything else but that... it's the truth.'

Aoba nodded and watched as Eru waved at her while leaving for her class. Predictably, she muttered to herself that it was exactly that which worried her.

'Interest is the first thing that leads to feelings of affection... That has always been the staple... for both of you...'

Looking a little lost as to what to do about the situation, Aoba cursed herself for getting too carried away in the morning. She had a bad feeling that something important and big was going to happen to Keima.

Something that she had inadvertently set off or worsened with her impulsive and selfish reasons, something that she couldn't quite see yet even as the **Mai-Hime.** It was possible that Keima could see it; he was the **Capturing God** after all... but something like this was beyond capturing.

It was subtle, it was something natural to all of them... but perhaps new to Keima and new was dangerous.

It meant that no matter his defences, no matter what he tried to do... there was no way he could avoid this 'issue' that was fast approaching him.

She, Fuse Aoba, had proven that Keima was weak to 'attack-types' and Miyabi Eru had proved herself to be an aggressive, if overaggressive, 'attack-type' that was true to the core of the archetype.

'… It's my loss... Miyabi-san...'

She lowered her eyes in shame as she considered the implications of what would happen further on in the future. Should she swallow her pride and lend her assistance? Or was it better to work from the shadows while trying to determine the situation? This was a crisis, something that... only she had acknowledged or realized after spending time with her friends.

..

In her own class, Miyabi Eru squirrelled away into the classroom, avoiding the curious glances of her classmates as she prepared for class.

That was a fun afternoon! Her juniors were all so adorable and most importantly she had found out something interesting about Katsuragi Keima! That despite all the quirks he had, he had to have done something to make all those girls like him.

Something that she was dying to find out as he was normally so cold and uncaring... how could anyone like him at all?!

* * *

**Author's Notes: AH, it's a sense of de ja vu here! I thought and swore that I wrote the part about 'attack-types' before, I knew I did... I just did not post it up!**

**So anyway, here's your attack-type!**

**Oh yes, lastly, NEW POLL TIME! So please help me with it! Thank you!**


	46. Emotional Reasons

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 46: Emotional Reasons**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: The beta editing is of course, thanks to AKAkira. Thanks for all the help!**

* * *

..

It was odd to say the least and Katsuragi Keima**, the Capturing God** frowned a little as he continued with his games, ignoring all that was around him after lunch.

Lunch was an affair that he would rather avoid but with Elsi pulling him to the rooftop and the 2B Pencils following suit, Keima wasn't going to get out of that easily. It seemed like ages since he was worried for Elsi's progress but at the least, she was making some and so Keima decided to drop that issue for now and focus instead of the task at hand here.

Miyabi Eru. The girl had won Yoshino Asami over but he wasn't... sure what her motives were. It wasn't the first time that he had been approached so openly by someone; Kureha Haruka had been the last person to have done so and Fuse Aoba had tracked him down like a bloodhound, forcing him to acknowledge her.

So there's that. Keima wasn't sure what this Miyabi Eru wanted from him but he wanted her out of his life immediately. It was messing with his head, making it difficult for him to concentrate as he wanted to find the route that Miyabi wanted from him.

It was similar to a capture but at the same time not, driving him nuts from anticipation. What was it that she wanted? And why.. why couldn't he get her out of his mind?

'Kami-Onii-sama? Kami-Onii-sama?'

Hearing Elsi call him, Keima put down his PFP to see a big spread in front of him, courtesy of all the girls laid in front of him. From Elsi to Yui, all of them had prepared something extra even if they wouldn't admit it.

'… I have to finish all of this.'

It was not a question, he just needed clarification on the subject and he sighed when Elsi pouted, hinting that was the case.

'I won't finish all of this.'

He declared even as the other girls stared at him, trying their best not to let their emotions show. Ayumi was more or less used to it; besides Asami and Aoba, she was the person that had been tagging along the most and her affection points were similarly higher than the rest as well.

Chihiro and Yui were more upset, the former being very and the other being a little confused.

'But I will sample all of it.'

Keima conceded and it was enough to make Ayumi and Elsi smile, while letting the other two tense up a little.

'I won't give comments.'

He stated brusquely even as most of the girls nodded in acknowledgement, with Chihiro the one exception, looking quite disappointed at that.

* * *

..

'So did you like it? Did I make anything wrong?'

Unable to help herself at long last, Chihiro asked this of Keima, who looked at her before shaking his head.

'It was a fair attempt... I would not say a good attempt as it is not the first time you did this, isn'tit?'

Keima muttered while all of them made their way back. Elsi's preparation was flawless as always. He naturally discounted Yui, since her offering was probably prepared by her maids, causing Yui's shoulders to slump a little as Keima caught on almost immediately. Ayumi was decent; she was always okay with food preparation. But Chihiro was just... plain. Nothing too fancy and nothing too difficult.

'Nope, I tried a lot of times... but this is the first time I gave it to you, oh, Kami-sama~'

She laughed as she mocked his title a little. Keima allowed it as it was friendly bickering between the two of them. Kosaka Chihiro, another individual who was different.

Different from Ayumi as she was patient and willing to wait for him, from Kanon who wanted him now and then and of course from the other girls who had varying different expectations of him.

In Chihiro, it seemed that she both had expectations of him as well as on herself, which put her at a different level.

A level that he was able to speak with her in 'normal **real **terms'. Not like Aoba who was dedicated to the **world** like he was or like Kanon, who he had to babysit many times but as a real individual in the real.

'Well, I'm thankful I didn't screw this one up... but Aoba really is mad, isn't she?'

'She's just throwing a tantrum.'

Keima replied almost instantly, causing Chihiro to snicker and leer at him as she continued on.

'Ahh~ So Katsuragi is worried about that as well? Well, you could go and apologize to her later on, can't you?'

Chihiro was startled at how quickly Keima refused the idea, telling Chihiro that it was preposterous that he would do that when he was not in the wrong.

'No, you _are_ in the wrong.'

Chihiro rebutted, placing her hands behind her head as they walked back towards class, and looking ahead to see Elsi giggling together with Ayumi and Yui, the girls gossiping together even as they spoke. It was... not usual for them to separate from the crowd and Chihiro really wished she hadn't as she was faced with a look of contempt on Keima's side. This was the same look that she had seen a long, long time ago... when she insulted Keima during their time together and he cut himself off from the world altogether.

It was something that made her wonder why she even liked Keima in the first place but she rallied and held firm, staring at him in the eyes as she waited for him to continue, to prove her wrong as she knew that she was right.

'… Aren't you going to say something, Kosaka?'

Wincing internally that Keima had called her by her family name again, Chihiro knew that Keima was pissed but he had no right to be, not this time.

'Miyabi... Miyabi-sempai she isn't one of your 'assignments' or 'targets' like last time, Katsuragi. It's not right for you to tell Aoba that you want her details just because she spoke with you. Is it wrong for people to approach you at all?'

It seemed that Chihiro struck a nerve as Keima's eyes narrowed immediately upon hearing that.

'… No, it is wrong. I have no time for the **real** as all of you have taken that time from me. To pull me from the **world** even more is a sin... To expect me to find out irrelevant information on my own time is ridiculous considering that she _had_ the information that I req-'

'That's just being selfish!'

Chihiro exclaimed but it was rebutted by Keima just as easily.

'The same goes for you. All of you are being selfish from the start.'

He replied coldly and instantly regretted it as tears formed in Chihiro's eyes, upset and unable to believe he really did said that and she shook her head in disappointment.

'That is not being selfish... I... we... we just want to know more... you never said that we couldn't... but now you're saying that you don't want others to do the same?! W-What are we to you, Katsuragi! Tell me!'

It was hard not to be emotional but Chihiro was driving the question that Keima hadn't answered to anyone yet, causing the **Capturing God** to feel a little complicated and exasperated as they were starting to get attention.

'K-Kami-Onii-sama!'

It was Elsi and Keima breathed a sigh of relief as she relieved Keima of his burden and guided Chihiro away, still staring at him angrily while Keima's shoulders slumped a little.

Two girls mad at him, with affection points dropping all over the board... this wasn't good.

* * *

..

_'C-Chihiro!'_

_Elsi gasped__in surprise as Chihiro__shrugged off Elsi's arm and just stormed off by herself after distancing herself from Keima. Ayumi was torn between chasing after Chihiro and confronting Keima about the act. This was the first time since _that_incident that he had made any of the girls truly angry at him._

_Looking back at him, Ayumi was sure that he didn't mean what he said as he was like a lost puppy, hurt after being kicked by his owner. Ayumi bit her lip before telling Elsi to stick by Keima's side before chasing after Chihiro, who looked as though she was going to skip class._

_She didn't care about what the others viewed her, Chihiro and Keima at this point. She knew in her heart that although she promised to be patient and to wait for his reply, deep inside her she knew that out of everyone else... she was the only person who was doing exactly that._

_Waiting._

_She shouldn't be waiting, she shouldn't be patient... she shouldn't... just allow and watch her friends and her love rivals do everything in their power to get him to look at them._

_Even if it's only for a moment, it's something that Ayumi didn't get often at all as compared to them._

..

_Ironically, Ayumi being one of the few girls who were actually really waiting for an answer was viewed highly by Keima. The others were Shiori, unwavering and patient despite the lack of interaction with him, and Kusonoki, who was still trying her best to repay his actions and help granted to her._

_Another surprising person who was 'waiting' was Aoyama Mio but Keima viewed that as a special case. Mio was just too tsundere and located at such a proximity that made it difficult for her to make any advances to Keima._

_To his credit, he had been visiting the store that Mio was working every time she had a shift, calming the girl's worries__that she was forgotten. It was a nice gesture and when the other girls found out, they had teased Mio endlessly about it, causing Keima to be hit in the face with a loaf of__bread that week._

..

_Back to the topic however, Ayumi had to shove aside all those conflicting feelings of jealousy and anger when she saw her friend Kosaka Chihiro and she stressed this again, _her friend,_becoming upset probably because of some insensitive thing that Keima had accidentally told her._

_True, she was probably biased at this point of time but she would listen to her mind later on. Right now she had to listen to her heart._

_It was heartbreaking to admit it but Chihiro had steadily become__friends with Keima. More so than the feelings of affection that she__had with Keima, Chihiro was trying to understand him and to be his friend._

_Like Ayumi, Chihiro wanted to know more about Keima and unlike almost all of them, she had approached him using the only way that she knew._

_Chihiro always got along with the boys in class, not because of her looks nor due to her personality (she was quite vicious with her tongue, as people realized at their own peril.)__Rather, they got along with Chihiro as__she was able to laugh at herself. Even if it did wound her pride a little when the stings got too personal, Chihiro was able to match herself to anyone, regardless of how they thought of themselves._

_Sure, Chihiro wasn't able to use that outlook and attitude of hers to find herself a boyfriend but she could find many friends with that. She was... the perfect example of an average human just like Keima had mentioned once in private to her._

_He had seemed... a little nostalgic and that was when Ayumi realized that Keima had never been normal in the inside nor the outside as a whole._

_Even if one took away the games that had shaped Keima's image, he was still different. Did he... want to be normal?_

_Besides all of that though, Chihiro... was close to Keima even if it didn't seem like it._

_There were things that Keima would comment about that only Chihiro could rebut in proper and it was becoming more frequent and normal to see the two of them chatting, bickering and teasing each other like they were friends._

_Yes, friends... it was an odd concept but something that Ayumi would be glad to see happen between the two of them._

_Before lovers, came friends... isn't that true as well?_

_Ayumi told this to herself as she chased after Chihiro, reaching her quickly but was forced to follow her as Chihiro roughly shrugged her aside while heading up to the rooftop._

* * *

..

_To Chihiro, what Keima said made her feel like throwing up. Keima had never explicitly said what the girls were to him and she had hoped that he would have at least given her a reply before she stormed off._

_But alas, it was not to be and she wanted so badly to be alone to burn off the negative feelings. She knew that he was right, but at the same time she knew that she was right too!_

_Both parties were selfish... people were selfish and more than anything, people wanted the best for themselves._

_It was a logic that Chihiro had recognized and realized. It__was one of her most important tools in helping her get along so far in this harsh and unrelenting world._

_Yes, she was average but average meant__that she had neither the haughty and stuck up attitude like those 'geniuses' nor did she have__the same self-loathing attitude towards life as those who were always at the lowest rung of the ladder._

_She was just that, average and probably right smack in the middle. She wouldn't say that she was perfectly middle when it came__to grades,__she was generally okay in all fields but that was the point._

_Chihiro was decent;__not the best, not the worset,__but still better than most. She had not a lot to complain about, perhaps about how others were better off, but she wasn't one for complaining. Not outwardly anyway._

_As Keima had helped her solve innermost crisis, the problem of her self-confidence was thrown away and over the past few months they had been 'together', she had begun__to rediscover her own sense of humour, finding it easier for her if she was laughing at herself at times while teasing others just as half-heartedly._

_In a matter of words, Chihiro had begun__to accept and take things a little less seriously and was enjoying her youth and the energy that she had._

_Perhaps it could be said that she was wasting her youth and her energy but Chihiro found each day to be more exciting and more... 'alive', if that made sense. Compared to the times when she was just thinking of a way to get closer to those individuals who always seemed to be 'shining' and full of energy, she could rightfully say that she was one of those individuals now._

_Sure, some of the things she did were hilarious and silly even but that was just what she wanted it to be!_

..

_'Chihiro! Stop!'_

_Ayumi could catch up with her if she wanted to, that was true but she was making it hard for her, swinging her arms aggressively as she made for the rooftop. The same rooftop that they shared so many memories with. She felt her stomach turn unhappily as she stared at the bench where__she and Keima had sat together and had a heart to heart confession a long, long time ago._

_'Chihiro...'_

_Ayumi caught up with her and when she rested a hand on Chihiro's shoulder, she was shocked when Chihiro turned around to hug her friend tightly in her arms._

_'C-Chihiro...?'_

_'I-... I'm in the wrong... I... I screwed up again... I've forgotten what I told him the last time...'_

_Chihiro was crying, shivering and sobbing as her entire body shook with emotion. Tears were splashing off her face and onto Ayumi's shirt and it was all the other girl could do to keep her upright as Chihiro continued crying._

_That's right, she had asked him that question a long time ago and she was the one who had provided him with an answer that he did not dispute but did not acknowledge as well._

_Those words had meant a lot to her and it seemed to her then and now that she was able to peel back the curtain to see the real Katsuragi Keima behind him._

_That was the real Katsuragi Keima, no doubt about it so the only reason for him to change so much was that..._

_'He was afraid... Ayumi... he... afraid... it's silly right? It's... it doesn't seem real... but... I... I think I know why now...'_

_After several minutes and after Ayumi helped her friend to sit down and help wipe away her tears, Chihiro spoke aloud for Ayumi's benefit._

_Besides her own memories making it harder for her to keep her composure, her mind was running wild with the possibilities and one single one made sense to her. In fact, it explained so many things that it made it difficult for her not to admit that it was the right answer._

_As incredible as it may seem... it just might be right._

**'Your passion... isn't just to play your games, Katsuragi... it's about saving the 'girls' in the game, no? When you are talking about the games, you focused... on the girls, you wanted everyone to know about them, to know their plight and their struggles and... you wanted to save them, all of them don't you?'**

_She definitely said that to him and in the same vein, she should be the person who knew what the 'captured girls', all of them, meant to him._

_And yet, she had publicly accused and even questioned what his views to the girls were._

_She was the one at fault here... but now that she knew why he was reacting like this... there was nothing that she could do about it, was there?_

_'I... I must apologize to him.'_

_Chihiro spoke out aloud even as Ayumi blinked and then smiled back in relief at her friend, thankful but confused at how she had managed to get her act together so soon._

..

_Was Ayumi disappointed? She was a little... Seeing how Chihiro had unlocked a puzzle about Keima that she didn't have a clue about made it hard for her swallow..._

_'… Chihiro... good luck.'_

_She whispered even though her friend was not paying attention to her anymore._

* * *

**_Author's Notes: Thank you all for your support as always!_**


	47. Cracks

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 47: Cracks**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: This chapter is brought to you with the help of ****_AKAAkira!_** **Thank you so much for the beta!**

* * *

..

'Kami-Onii-sama! Kami-Onii-sama!'

If one expected Keima to do the same as Chihiro, that is, to storm out himself and to skip class after her exit to vent his own frustration, one would be belittling the **Capturing God** and the _Otamegane_. He had returned to class without batting an eyelid and he was certain that more rumours were going to go out like wildfire after his slip-up today.

Or was it a slip-up? Keima was not going to comment on that. It was true that her words had hurt him as well, more so than he had visibly shown on the outside.

That was something that Elsi had picked up on, after spending around half a year with Keima, Elsi was able to tell when he was in a bad mood. But this was beyond mad, He was furious, upset and perhaps confused as to why the **real** was treating him like this all over again.

Elsi could see it in his eyes; the fact that Keima had totally isolated himself from the **real** and in such short a time, without even blowing a fuse, hinted and showed how deep that knife had been shoved into Keima.

It scared Elsi for she had never seen her Kami-Onii-sama so furious and so distant before.

'Kami-Onii-sama...'

Trying again to call out to him, Elsi's shoulders slumped as Keima refused to even speak a single word as he dived deep into his **world **and his **ideal, **his hands mashing the buttons furiously while he stared at his PFP.

Even if he wasn't plugged into his visualizer aid or into his earphones, everything was going into one ear and out the next, his way of shutting himself away from the world.

Unsurprisingly, Elsi found herself short-handed in this department. The 'captured' girls in class 2B were Ayumi, Chihiro and Asami and all of them were not around at this moment.

There was no way that she could seek help from any of the other captured girls either as they were in different classes. It was really a disaster for Elsi!

'… Kami-Onii-sama...'

Trying again by shaking his shoulders, Elsi was hurt when Keima curtly and sharply brushed her hands off without even acknowledging her at all.

After all the time they spent together, Elsi realized just as late that she had no idea how to make Keima cheer up either. Ironically Elsi herself realized that fact long after Keima had been stumped over that issue as well.

..

Keima could consult her friends from the 2B Pencils for advice but for Elsi, there was no way that she could do that. Friends, Keima didn't have any 'friends' besides the 'captured' girls and the two people that could loosely be called 'friends' were currently at loggerheads with him.

It was enough to overload her small brain with all the variables that she had to work with in order to make all of this make sense.

The last time it happened, Keima had been forced out of his blue funk by Chihiro... so perhaps Elsi could consult her regarding that after class?

'Kami-Onii-sama... please wait, Elsi would do her best to help you as well!'

The young demon whispered to herself even as Keima lost himself into his games.

* * *

..

Or so it seemed from the outside. Inside, Keima was frustrated and mad at himself and at Chihiro for even questioning what he was doing for all of them, and in the same vein, he asked himself whether he had been doing the right thing all this time.

It was fine on paper, everything was fine on paper and the theories that he had ran across his mind, repeatedly going through all the information that he had gathered, put together and analysed so far.

He wasn't wrong... but yet, he was wrong. Chihiro had been the person who had pointed it out to him.

Perhaps he was doing alright in spreading his attention to all of them, keeping them satisfied up till now. They were satisfied... right? At least he was sure that they were content enough to resist the temptation to take everything to the next level.

But in the end... did it really matter to them what he did? Was there any meaning to what he did, to what he was trying to achieve by keeping all of them happy?

Did the girls even want that in the first place? Keima wasn't sure, he didn't want to ask as if he did ask, that would mean knowing what the girls really wanted and that scared him.

It scared him for he knew that logically, he would accede to their request.

If he had the strength to deny them that, he would never have allowed this situation to escalate till the current state. Nipping the problem at the bud had been the best way... but it seemed that he had just been adding fuel to the fire, fertilizer to the flower and letting it grow out of control.

Like a lone fireman fighting a raging fire, there was no doubt that in time Keima would be burnt by what he was doing and that day had finally came.

They had questioned his own feelings regarding the matter. What he felt when he was with all of them and for the most part they were right. He had tried to remain neutral, perfectly in the middle with no clear favourites that truly affected what he did for all of them.

Even Minami and Kanon were not too 'special'. Sure, he might treat them a little differently but compared to the time that he spent with the rest of the girls, the two of them 'warranted' that special treatment from him when one considered how little he saw them.

Too neutral in fact... so neutral that Keima wasn't sure when he had abandoned all feelings when it came to treating all of the girls. They were 'heroines' no doubt and they were 'captured' girls, people that he had shown a different side of him to and by extension, people who knew who he truly was.

He had taken that for granted hadn't he? He had always lived and blocked most comments, remarks and insults about him being the _Otamegane_ as he was exactly that: a gamer that lived for his games. he had been doing the same to the girls too.

_'Because he is Keima-kun.'_

Kanon told him that once when they were sitting together having lunch in Cafe Grandpa while he was gaming. He had not noticed it then, but was it true that although the girls accepted it, they were not happy either.

Not all of them were like Chihiro, who had given him permission to game and in fact enjoyed the fact that he did.

'…'

..

They had the right to be resentful, even if it's just a little bit and honestly, Keima knew they deserved better. Much better than what he had been treating them so far.

It was like applying endless band-aids to a thorn that was stuck inside one's flesh. No matter how many layers one tried to apply on it, the problem still exists. He... never treated them like real, living, heroines did he?

Yes, they were 'heroines' but the **real** and the **ideal** was different. Theories that might work in the **ideal** might not work in the **real. **He had gotten lucky and right so far... but sometime, somewhere, a straw would finally break the camel's back and the final straw had happened.

Chihiro had finally popped the question to him and he had answered wrongly. He had... been wrong all the time, hasn't he?

Treating the 'captured' girls like video game heroines, hoping, praying that it would be enough... he had been running away.

Perhaps the foreshadowing has always been there... how he had hurt Shiori when he was capturing _Konoe Rea_ and how he had torn apart Kusonoki's past with the capture of _Kureha Haruka_.

When had he, if ever, treated the girls like real, living human beings?

* * *

..

'Keima-kun!'

Keima ignored the voice as he spent the time by himself in the game store that he frequented in the nearby district. The choice of games here were pitiful but somehow, the shop owner was able to discern his identity as the **Capturing God** and had reserved a cabinet just for him that he kept hidden within the store himself.

It was flattering and Keima could see that the shop owner had put his heart and soul in trying to appeal to his tastes and he took the time to come down here ever so often to pick up a few games.

The fact that he gave a very generous discount, as well as trying his best to obtain a few of the rarer and more vintage games upon his request, made Keima a regular in this shop.

It was unlikely that he was the sole reason for keeping the shop afloat but stranger things had happened, really. Not to mention the mountain of games that he went through every month was certainly enough to keep a moderately sized shop going.

'Keima-kun!'

He had slipped away after class ended, disappearing so quickly that Elsi didn't catch him. IF she wanted to, Keima was certain that she would be able to and that meant that Elsi was trying to do something in the mean time.

Naturally, Chihiro and Ayumi didn't return to class and although Asami did, she was unable to make a difference as to what mood Keima was in.

Everyone had given him a wide berth, no doubt most of them had heard of the argument that he had with Chihiro. It was definitely one of the worst lines he had said so far, if not the worst and even if most of them didn't know what truly conspired, there was no doubt that it was being highly exaggerated.

Keima had been relieved to see that he had escaped from school with no pursuers in sight. If he was right, and he probably was, Elsi was trying to find someone to explain to her what was going on and he wanted to have some free time, 'me' time, before it all happened and crashed on his head.

There would be repercussions for this, something that he would have to pay for saying those words, awakening those memories as well as reopening those scars that had tried so hard to heal.

'Keima-kun!'

This time, the person who had been trying to get his attention decided that speaking wasn't enough and she reached out to pull his ears, causing him to wince in pain and to whirl around to confront that person, whoever did that, to give him or her a piece of his mind. Even if he or she meant well or was just going to say hello, today wasn't the day... too many things were whirling about in his mind to warrant a proper conversation, but it was enough for an outburst of anger.

'...You...'

He snarled a little, his eyes narrowing as it was the one person that had set off this entire mess in the first place.

Miyabi Eru.

'Konnichiwa, Keima-kun!'

* * *

..

'I like this restaurant... don't you? The atmosphere is simply divine! It helps you relax, Keima-kun! So take your pick of tea! It's my treat today!'

Smiling as she led Keima into a tea-house, Miyabi Eru picked her choice of tea and sat down with him seating directly opposite of her. There were many bags placed around Keima, bags that he had been carrying by himself and none of them were hers.

All of them were bought by the bespectacled boy sitting in front of her and she had been the one that had to wait for him for the past one hour.

It was just one hour though. But whoever said that the fairer sex was a horror to shop with, they had to shop with Katsuragi Keima. He never uttered a single word, never asked for opinions, knew exactly what he wanted, was silent when browsing, didn't compare prices and didn't haggle! It's like, taking all the fun out of shopping in the first place!

'…'

He did not comment yet again, Eru was sure that he had given up doing so after seeing that one hour of shopping with him for games didn't manage to chase her off. Probably nothing could. As a result, he had resigned himself to following Eru's lead as she brought him to this little tea house in the district, hidden away in the corner of the street.

It was... disturbing to hear that he had been in another argument with yet another girl and it made the mystery around Katsuragi Keima grow even more. What circumstances led him to becoming so popular among the female population?

Most importantly though, what was his view on the situation in the first place?

The girls had declared that they liked Keima; but there was no such signal from Keima, in fact, from what she saw earlier with Asami, it was difficult to tell whether he even treated them as people at all!

It disturbed her but most importantly, it made her very very curious! For one of her juniors to be so lost in that romantic tangle… of course it triggered her maternal instincts to look after him!

More than anything else, Eru saw Keima as a person who was socially awkward. He probably preferred to be away from the spotlight but at the same time was blessed with ability that was great and good enough for it to be acknowledged by those who saw it.

The rumours that were circulating about Katsuragi Keima painted a confusing picture. On one hand, many agreed that he was just eccentric, rude, had disrespect for the rules and was an utter waste of space as a human being. In the other, they agreed that he was a genius, had a surprisingly sensitive side and apparently was quite a womaniser, getting many girls, popular and attractive ones at that, in love with him.

It just didn't add up to what she was seeing right now in front of her; a miserable boy that was trying to hide or escape from that misery by delving into his games.

She couldn't blame him, she too had days which she just wanted to be lost in her own games too.

..

'If you don't want to speak it out loud, you can just point at the menu too.'

Keima twitched a little as he looked up from his game momentarily to give her a dry look that criticized her without even speaking himself.

But she continued to smile patiently as she called the waiter over and ordered her tea, smiling happily as Keima placed his order as well by pointing at the menu. Before the waiter left, Eru mentioned that it would be nice if they got some mochi to go with the tea. What she wanted was a reaction, something, anything to show that he was still paying attention to him. Well, Eru knew that he was at least curious like she was if not he would have left already... Right? Right?

'Please bring us an assorted platter as well!'

Eru adjusted her glasses as she sat there patiently for him to react again. The silence they had between them wasn't comfortable at all, it was stifling... but Eru was used to stifling situations. Those... unique circumstances gave her sufficient training and she used it to keep pace with Keima as he continued to game, his hands flying over the buttons even as Eru pulled out a PFP of her own and started humming to herself even as she wondered what game she was going to play today.

The waiters and waitresses were looking at them curiously but none of them said a single word besides placing new orders, not even to each other as they delved into their games.

It took a while, perhaps close to two hours in fact, after the two of them had gone through two pots of tea, several toilet breaks and three plates of mochi that Keima finally spoke out, putting his PFP down even as Eru continued with her game.

'Why.'

It was a simple question and it made Eru smile as she just replied softly with confidence and laced with curiosity that took Keima off guard.

'As I want to know. I want to know why you did that, Keima-kun.'

* * *

..

That certainly threw a wrench in her plans. Haqua looked a little confused and unsure as to what she was supposed to do now. It was... awkward to say the least to see Miyabi Eru catch up with Keima before she determined where Keima was.

It was silly of Elsi to not tag her partner but then again, it was silly of her to think that she could cheer Keima up by preparing a surprise party for him at Cafe Grandpa.

Haqua on the other hand was more realistic and she had rushed off to try and locate Keima to talk some sense into him the moment school ended.

Haqua had reviewed the argument Keima had with Chihiro in it's entirety and although she wanted it to be a one-woman job, Haqua had been approached by Aoba for help regarding this issue as well.

While they were thrashing out the details together, Kosaka Chihiro had come up to speak to them as well and surprisingly, much to the shock of Aoba, Chihiro had the same idea or 'theory' as Aoba. After going through what the two of them had argued about, the theory held more water than Haqua thought was possible.

It was a stupid theory, something that Haqua would dismiss as ridiculous until Aoba and Chihiro laid out the facts in front of her... and then she couldn't refute the two of them.

Not completely at least...

What she didn't expect was to see Miyabi Eru, the person responsible for all of this, finding Keima first, actively seeking out the **Capturing God.** It made her worry, had this been her target from the start?

Her Weiss detector didn't go off and she certainly wasn't a member of the Weiss Capturing Squad... so why... was she approaching Katsuragi at all?

..

It looked like this was something that should be reported and Haqua pulled out her cellphone even as Keima placed his PFP down, something that had not happened in front of Miyabi Eru yet. Haqua paused, certain that something was happening and she used her raiment to spy on the two of them.

There was no time for her to be afraid or hesitant at all; this was a moment that Keima would no doubt call an 'event', only it was Keima that had initiated this event himself.

Or more accurately, Miyabi Eru had forced it to happen.

..

_'Why do you wish to talk to __**me**__?'_

It was only through knowing him for so long that Haqua detected his hopeful tone. He even sounded a little lost, but certainly willing to talk, and it made Haqua fall over in bewilderment.

The **Capturing God** himself, the one person who had not been felled by any of the girls, not even Fuse Aoba in a frontal, back and in all direction assault, was opening up to... her?!

* * *

**Author's Notes: No comments this time, but it is a particularly bad patch for me. Still, updates have to continue!**


	48. Openings

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 48: Openings**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Ah.. the jobs of exams. Wish me luck. Also, this chapter is brought to you with the help of ****_AKAAkira! _****Thanks for the beta!**

* * *

..

_'Why do you wish to talk to __**me**__?'_

_Katsuragi Keima asked Miyabi Eru and the question made Eru think for a while before smiling and replying that there really wasn't a particular reason for her wanting to do that._

_'Keima-kun is an interesting individual!'_

_'That's not answering the question.'_

_Keima replied quickly and it made Eru smile as she thought that she had finally broken through that final barrier holding the two of them back. He tried his best to hide his uneasiness, unsure what it is that she wanted. For that precise reason, she had kept those cards near her own chest, not letting him know just that._

_It must have eaten at him, bothered him and made it difficult for him to ignore it till he finally gave in and asked her the question._

_'That's true! But Keima-kun, you're friends with Aoba-chan, no? And Aoba-chan is a friend of mine! I want to know why you said those words to her. What made the two of you quarrel so badly.'_

_'We are not quar-'_

_He tried to say but then fell silent, looking back at his PFP uneasily even as Eru raised an eyebrow in surprise._

_'Don't you consider Aoba-chan your friend? The two of you get along so well too...'_

_There was a small pause in their conversation before Keima replied, his eyes fixed on Eru even as he spoke softly._

_'What does it matter to you? No... why does it matter to you?'_

_Eru could tell that from how Aoba spoke strongly against him and for him at the same time. To see that Fuse Aoba, the junior that wasn't interested in anyone at all, speak so strongly about anyone must mean that person was someone special._

_Personally, Eru didn't find it odd or rude of him to not call her by her name, instead relying on 'you' to refer to her, especially since she was his senior. Even if it might appear rude to others, Eru was used to it... or perhaps she just expected Keima to call her in that way?_

_Her relationship with her friends and classmates were not strained but neither was it good so it was something of a change to see someone treat her so normally. Not civilly, like what most of her classmates would do, but as a normal person on their same level._

_That was why Miyabi Eru liked to speak with her juniors most of the time. They were unaware of her past, her present as well as the circumstances that surrounded her life. It was complicated but it wasn't stifling as long as she kept to the boundaries that she set for herself. The same boundaries told her that it would be alright to learn more about Keima, to find out why he did all this._

_None of it made sense to her, perhaps it did for Aoba and for the other girl, Kosaka Chihiro but it didn't make sense to her at all._

...

_Friends should be cherished as they were the people that would give help if one needed it. They were supposed to be the people who stuck by through thick and thin._

_At least, that's what Miyabi Eru believed. Sure, she knew that there were people who were not true friends, merely acquaintances that were only available on days where lady luck smiled at them. She wasn't silly nor was she naïve; people liked that existed but Eru hoped that the friends she made within the pool of juniors would be the former._

_The friends that would not reject her when she was in need of their support._

_'Keima-kun, you can't possibly not consider Aoba-chan your friend, can you? That's so mean of you... she really looks up to you, Keima-kun.'_

_Looking at him and trying to spot any visual cues that signalled and hinted that was the truth, Eru found a semblance of that as she saw his eyebrow twitch and his body shift as he focused again on his games._

_'… That's really mean of you, Keima-kun. Aoba-chan she... I'm sure that she'll do anything for you.'_

_It was the truth, more or less, as Eru was sure that Aoba would drop everything in a heartbeat to help him right now. And yet he still insisted in clamming up, not letting anyone come to his aid at all._

_Until now it seemed, as Eru suddenly wondered if he was allowing her to see a part of him that no one else had ever seen. He obviously felt open now, exposing himself to her more than she expected. Realizing that, it made her feel all warm, fuzzy and strong inside._

..

_She was honoured or perhaps she was just lucky, Miyabi Eru wasn't sure, but she knew that right now she was on uncharted territory. There were many things that had to be answered, and one of them would be why he allowed her, out of all the people that were linked to him, to approach him._

_'She would.'_

_Keima answered at long last and his tone was bitter, making Eru feel more confused at that. The sign of loyalty was something that one should be happy about, no? Why was he so upset about it?_

_'Wouldn't you want her to?'_

_Her question came again even as she poured a cup of tea for him. Right now the company that they shared was more comfortable, with him giving back what she had been willing to offer._

_It had taken a lot of investment in time, money and of course patience and understanding but at least he was now speaking to her. She might not quite understand him yet, it was impossible to think that she could do that in her first try so..._

_'I do not.'_

_He admitted softly while playing his games, the tapping on his PFP getting less pronounced and more hesitant as silence passed between the two of them. Eru wasn't sure that was a good thing; the lapses of silence meant that he was reserved about what the two of them were exchanging._

_Just like what happened earlier, she should be prepared to exchange trust for trust and offer a little bit of herself to gain his trust as well._

_'… Well, I was the same before... It might be funny to me now... but a long time ago I was the same. I was helping so many people, giving them advice, offering them help when they needed it... but in the end, I realized that I was just being used by them.'_

_Eru closed her eyes as she allowed a frown to appear on her face. It was odd how easy and casual she was able to relate this tale to him, no matter how vague it was to him as it came from her own bitter experience._

_She had no hard feelings though; it was part of a human being's nature to be selfish, to look for one's own interests for their greater goal._

_So she didn't blame them even if she was bitter about the situation blew up in her face._

_'I... I trust my friends. Just a little, not too much as I... only believe in myself. I hope they are my friends too you know? But even if they might not feel the same way... all I can do is to hope, Keima-kun.'_

_Looking at him seriously, she smiled again and watched as Keima observed her every move, her every action and every single twitch that she might have given when she was thinking about her past._

_After a while though, she saw him sigh just a little and straighten his back, lowering his PFP slightly as his eyes match hers, challenging her to say that was just a joke, that she was still able to trust her friends._

_But till the end, till Keima's eyes lost its focus and he looked away, Eru never once hesitated or doubted her own beliefs. All she could do was to pray, even if she wanted to be naïve, to be trustful and to be devoted to her friends._

_Deep down she knew that a part of her naivety died that day when she was forsaken by her friends. Perhaps they have their reasons for that and Eru wanted deeply to say that she did not resent them for that._

_Alas, that would be lying to herself and she had simply told herself firmly to move on from that._

_Even if it was something that would haunt her for life, every individual that she met would surely be judged and matched against the failed standard that she had experienced in the past._

_Admittedly, the truth was that even if she had made great friends in the past, friends that were still some of her best friends, she would forever remember and associate the word and relationship called friendship with that one incident of betrayal._

_Was it truly betrayal? Eru didn't want to define it that firmly and she let her mind go back to the train of thought she had before._

..

_She never once imagined that she would be able to find someone matching her own uneasiness in trusting their friends, if they were friends at all._

_Even Fuse Aoba, her darling junior was a 'friend' in the most fleeting of terms to her and she was fine with that. It was best to be just a little distant than risk heartbreak once again when the inevitable happened again._

_No, she wasn't being pessimistic at all; she was just saying it as it was. In fact, she was a very optimistic person indeed and this downward spiral of emotions was not the norm for her._

_It was just that... she found herself staring at a possible mirror image of herself. He was similar to her, not willing to get close to another person due to his own difficulties. She must have seen this earlier, or had sensed it when she was speaking with Keima the first time._

_The way he sat by himself, proud and yet happy with the solitude, must have given her the courage to speak with him then. As she had her reservations about people other than herself, which was cultivated from past experience, Eru wasn't an individual who would simply introduce herself to any random stranger out of the blue._

_She wasn't sure then how he'd react, how anyone would react to a sudden introduction like that. How he'd be like and it... it was similar to how she approached Fuse Aoba in the first place. Even if she was apprehensive about others, especially strangers, there was the saying that opposites attract but kindred spirits attract each other just as well._

_Like her and Keima, Fuse Aoba was someone that Eru found to be strikingly similar to a certain degree._

_Unlike her and Keima though, Fuse Aoba didn't necessarily shy away from people. No, she was too confident and self-reassured for that._

_She was an individual who did not mind other's company nor needed it, being perfectly fine by herself._

_But she wasn't like that. Eru needed people to be with her, she literally gained strength from people around her, gaining from their joy and sharing their sorrow if they so needed her help._

_One for all, all for one suited Miyabi Eru to a tee. Even if she would never get close to anyone; not _that_close anyway._

_Keima could be like that, willing to be by himself, Eru wasn't sure as she didn't know him. Then again, if he wasn't, he wouldn't be going through all of this by himself if he didn't. Or perhaps he was like her, not wanting to help but choosing to help anyway._

_'Like her', it always came back to her. Why was that?_

..

_He was nothing like Fuse Aoba or her. He was perfectly happy to be by himself, his own pride and strength was enough to keep driving him forward and at the same time, he was definitely more satisfied with a company than without._

_Along the same vein however, he seemed more relaxed and at ease when he was by himself, shutting out the entire world around him and living in solitude by himself without a care in the world._

_This contradicted and supported both of what Aoba and she lived for. He really was an enigma, someone who truly straddles that fine line between the two of them that were close to being opposites._

_Fuse Aoba with her confidence and ability to live with and yet not depend on her friends; and her, Miyabi Eru, with her own faith to live without and yet allowed her friends to depend on her._

_Katsuragi Keima was someone who both could and could not do with the 'friends' that he has around him. Someone who doesn't seem to be able to choose between the two worlds. Confident and yet unsure of himself at the same time._

_Such an odd but interesting junior indeed._

..

_'You can't really believe that, do you?'_

_He was not acknowledging her by her given name, which suited her fine. Trust was something that had to be earned and any rapport that she was building with Keima has to be taken one step at a time._

_If Fuse Aoba wasn't able to crack him, she'll have to take this slowly and patiently!_

_'I do. I have... perhaps like you, lost my faith in other people. Not all of them though, I know that some of them, the few amongst the many are people who I can really call friends.'_

_She smiled at Keima even as the boy slowly nodded his head in agreement to that and then suddenly looked away as well, almost as if he was embarrassed at being caught agreeing with her._

_'It's odd, isn't it? Really... even I... I ask myself sometime, what I... am doing with my life. It's not that I do... not wish to trust them, Keima-kun... I just, can't risk it. I... think you know what I mean with that.'_

_Eru breathed out slowly even as she watched Keima's eyes meet hers before looking away again. That was a clear signal if anything and she smiled a satisfied smile, knowing that a connection had been established between the two of them._

_'That's why I said that Keima-kun is interesting... as Keima-kun knows what I mean, I know... no, I think... that Keima-kun doesn't believe it just as much as I do. … Unlike me, Keima-kun has more faith in people than I do.'_

_Sighing, Eru wondered to herself what she was doing again. Telling him all of that, confessing things that she would not want her 'friends' to know. But at the same time, it felt like a big weight was lifted off her shoulders._

_'Why...'_

_He asked the same thing again, for the third or fourth time but Miyabi Eru wasn't fazed by it. She too, wasn't exactly sure why she was doing this as well. So it all works out for her in the end as well!_

_'Why... do you say that...?'_

_It was a question Eru didn't expect and was something that she wasn't going to tell him yet._

_'That's a secret, Keima-kun~~! I can't believe you'll even ask me that so soon! I can't trust you enough to tell you that.'_

_She teased him and reminded him that no matter why she was telling him that, there were things that she wasn't going to just give away without asking for something in return. Most importantly though, it highlighted that she didn't trust him either._

_He might be an interesting person, but he... in the end, was like Fuse Aoba. She would have to keep him at an arm's length away._

_'Out of all the people I know, you seem to be... the last person to be allowed to say that.'_

_Eru was embarrassed as well as impressed at his attempt at praising her._

_Was it a praise? She really wasn't 100% sure about that... but it sounded like one to her. He was acknowledging her in somewhere, just like how he had acknowledged the girls that were hovering around him, their presence never truly making an impression but still there, showing their effects around him as intangible as his impression on them were._

_'You're just saying that, Keima-kun.'_

_Getting up, Miyabi Eru hinted that the conversation was over and she walked to the cashier to pay for their drinks, leaving him behind her._

..

_Honestly, she expected him to just sit there, contemplating her words and so she was pleasantly surprised when she saw him standing in front of the door, as though waiting for her and she nodded when he offered to walk her to her destination._

_'Thank you, Keima-kun.'_

* * *

**Author's Notes: I think, this is a big radical change for everyone. Don't you think so too?**


	49. Ideals

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 49: Ideals**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: This chapter is to celebrate the freedom of tyranny, a sense of relief at seeing the end of the struggle I had with my papers. I'm not done yet, so this is a pre-mature celebration. So... I might end up drunk with relief, despair tomorrow.**

**So I'd figured, why not just update to keep me in higher spirits.**

**As per the norm, ****_AKAAkira_****, thank you for the beta!**

* * *

..

'You're weird.'

Keima commented as they walked slowly down the road to the train station, where Miyabi Eru was going to get on the train. Apparently her home was a few train stops away and it wasn't normal for people who lived that far to come to Mai-High. It was not that Mai-High was a prestigious school or something and it was so easy to transfer out to another school after all.

'There were reasons for that Keima-kun. But it's a lady's secret. You wouldn't ask a lady about her most private things would you, Keima-kun?'

Teasing him by pointing that out, Eru beamed as she got him to speak out a little more. The confessions between the two of them had made the atmosphere between the two of them more comfortable than before.

Sure, he was as laconic as ever but at least it didn't seem as tense and awkward as before when he had tried his very best to ignore her presence at all times.

That part had been addressed so it was good that Keima was at least paying her some attention, it was hard talking to a wall after all... so now that was over with, Eru had tried her best to get him to talk about himself.

Unfortunately for her, it had been like talking to a brick wall (again) so she had tried to break the ice by telling him about herself, starting with her three sizes and it was very enjoyable to see Keima quickly stop her before she was about to reveal yet another intimate secret about herself. He had not been embarrassed, just a little taken aback at how blunt and straightforward she was with her own body and that had led to him asking her whether she was lying to him.

_'Why would you tell me all this?'_

Yes, another question along the same lines and Eru repeated the same lines back to him as well.

_'As Keima-kun is an interesting person who is also a gentleman! I'm sure that a lot of boys would want to know my three sizes!'_

Actually Eru was flattering herself as she didn't really have a good figure. If she could call that a figure at all really. It was something that actually irked her a lot but she had gotten over it as the years passed by.

Most of it anyway and it really wasn't that hard to keep her temper in check when Keima snorted out loud, causing Eru to frown a little as she tapped her feet while pointing at him.

_'That's rude of you, Keima-kun! A girl's three sizes is the most important thing to them.'_

_'Except their innocence.'_

Keima and Eru had gone on a tangent at that to her surprise; she didn't think that Keima would actually be very knowledgeable about 'girls' in general, but this turned out to be untrue. Now there were more reasons to believe that Keima could actually be someone that could make all those girls fall for him.

He knew what areas girls were sensitive about, what they would typically do and why they do them and most importantly, he knew how to give them space and the time they needed to think and reflect about what they want to do.

He knew that most boys, who were easy enough to rely on tried and true instinct and emotions to direct their attention, most girls were more likely to take a step back to think about the situation.

Eru was surprised about Keima's knowledge, or maybe it was that Keima could read her own preferences? His response in their conversations impressed Eru, it would be even more impressive if it turned out that he tailored them to her.

It would mean that he had been paying attention to her and was actually forming quite an accurate picture of her as they interacted. In a way, it was flattering, though on the other end of the spectrum, it bordered on freaky.

..

At the end of the day though, Miyabi Eru didn't get to know more about Keima but she did know more about how Keima thought and although Keima wasn't able to get to learn Eru's three sizes, she chalked the day as a success.

'See you tomorrow, Keima-kun.'

She swore he started when he heard that but as he didn't give any indications that he did, Eru let it drop. She waved cheerfully at him as she tapped her phone against the fare gate and ran off to catch her train.

Eru wasn't surprised when she saw plenty of messages waiting for her as she flipped her phone open; she really expected to see Fuse Aoba's number from the top all the way to the bottom of the list.

'Ara ara, she's so impatient, isn't she?'

* * *

..

Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** found himself fighting different emotions as he wondered and asked himself time and time again: why he didn't shake that girl off like he could with any of the other girls before?

Was he afraid? He really wasn't sure what it was that made it so hard for him to just say 'no' or just walk away when she started talking about herself. The information that he wanted from Fuse Aoba was given to him or perhaps offered to him as an offering. Was that one reason why he stayed back? That didn't explain why or how she was able to make that call to make him stay anyway.

Did she make him stay with her confession and words? Or did he want to stay because he was curious about her as well?

Chihiro was right; she, Miyabi Eru was the first individual that had approached him actively in years that wasn't part of a capture. The introduction that he had given during the time when he started school in Mai-High had more or less cemented his position as the ostracised member in the class and by extension the school.

Yoshino Asami didn't count as till the end, he had approached her and the interaction he had with Ayumi and perhaps Chihiro before were solely due to the fact that the two of them were paired to do class duties together.

Mind, Keima was actually happy about that as it gave him the freedom to do whatever he wanted as long as his grades were good enough. In hindsight, Mari's plan to transfer him into school to get him away from his old reputation was a complete failure.

Coupled on with the fact that Mari had always been defensive about Keima's attitude towards school, leaning towards the fact that he was a misunderstood genius, something that was proven once again the last parent-teacher conference, Keima hadn't bothered with the 'real' at all.

Even his current situation with the 'captured girls' he admitted was more of a necessity than anything else. Even if it hurt, even if it was something that he was loathe to admit, it wasn't an interaction with the real at all.

It was more of atonement, something he thought that he wouldn't mention again after sorting things out with the girls. But atonement it was and it wasn't even close to a capture, a capture would actually necessitate emotions being invested in it.

But was there any at all during his time with the girls? Sure, there might be a few instances but could he honestly give a straight answer to any of the girls about his own feelings and thoughts about the matter?

Perhaps Aoba could understand. Or could she? He thought that Chihiro would... but that was apparently a fallacy as well. Chihiro, too, she didn't quite understand him fully.

It was to be expected actually and Keima sighed abruptly as he waited for the lights to turn green at the traffic intersection he was about to cross.

'… They couldn't understand. How could they?'

His mind wandered to the question that he had posed Chihiro and Ayumi during the capture of Kureha Haruka. Whether they would be able to accept any apologies from the people who had ostracised and had ridiculed him for so long.

Human nature was cruel and unforgiving; he himself knew that more than anything else. For someone to truly understand what he felt like, what he was going through, they would rightly have to go through all of that to even say they understood him.

..

Yes, Kosaka Chihiro had came a long way to actually emerge as one of the few individuals who could rightly say that she was able to see through the mask of the **Capturing God **for just a little while.

She, out of all the girls, could see his answer, the answer that he had come to terms and accepted in his heart. She had supported him and in turn, he had acknowledged her, being one of the few individuals to be considered an oddity.

An oddity... would anything have changed if he was just a little more open with her? Keima wouldn't know now.. but at least he had another chance with _her_, Miyabi Eru, a person who could really...

'She understood.'

* * *

..

'Ara ara, Aoba-chan sure is impatient!'

Smiling as she answered her phone as she stepped off the train, Miyabi Eru's smile got bigger and brighter when Aoba demanded answers to what she had been doing with Keima earlier on.

'Ah, was Aoba-chan spying on us? Or were you following us, hmm?'

Eru's casual remark was ignored by Aoba as she demanded answers again in the cool, cold voice that hinted that she was really mad now. Still, Eru wasn't respected by Aoba for nothing and the older girl simply giggled before commenting again.

'Now, Aoba-chan. I know you are jealous and I know you were just in a fight with Keima-kun, but that's not the right way to deal with it! Even if you do like him that much and is worried that onee-chan is going to steal Keima-kun away, it's not going to happen~'

Her soothing words seemed to placate Aoba just a little as there was a pause before another unfamiliar voice took over.

'Gomen sempai, I'm Kosaka, Kosaka Chihiro. I... I want to know, what did Katsuragi say to you? It... It's the first time, I've ever seen Katsuragi like this... Please, I need to know! I... I hurt him today, and I... and I... I just want to apologize to him.'

The girl on the line was very tensed and was having difficulty hiding her emotions for him. This caused the smile on Eru's face dimmed a little, her heart ached a little too as she realized that despite his own words, there were people out there who still cared for and wanted to be trusted by Katsuragi Keima.

Once upon a time, she had the same. or did she still have them now...? the friends that had abandoned her... or she had abandoned... she didn't know, no, she shouldn't know now.

Taking a small breath, Eru calmed her own inner turmoil before speaking to the panicked girl over the phone. Kosaka was it? She must be someone who valued Katsuragi very much; anything else wouldn't warrant her confessing that over the phone to a random stranger she never met before.

'He's fine. Even though he denies it, he is still concerned about all of you. Give him some time dear, just give him some more time.'

'I-Is that true?'

'Be patient. You've have been patient for very long, hadn't you? Aoba-chan too. All he needs, is some time alone now.'

'S-Some time alone? T-That's it? I-Is that... true?'

'It isn't so simple to hurt someone you know, Chihiro-chan... even if he denies it, he too is hurt when he hurts any one of you girls. He's... such a weird person, but still a normal person if he could still worry, right? It's okay, I'll look after him for all of you till he's ready to talk to all of you again~'

Apparently Aoba had her phone on speakers as there was a brief scuffle before Aoba's voice came through the receiver again.

'No, I do not agree with this. Sempai, Miyabi-sempai... please, I... I have to request that you allow us to see him and to speak with him first. There are things that we have to clarify and to make known to him. Please, could you please let us speak with him first before you see him again?'

That's really too bad for Aoba, for after hearing that request, Miyabi's curiosity was heightened again and she giggled before telling them she'd consider it.

'Now, bye bye~~'

'Sempai! Miyabi-sem-'

Thinking back, that was the first time that Aoba actually called her so formally wasn't it? It was a very weird occurrence and that showed how desperate she was to stop her from meeting him.

Why was that? Were they that jealous of her interacting with him?

..

'… I... really wonder.'

Resting a finger on her lips as she considered that question, Eru ignored that question the moment she stepped out of the station and she sighed in response.

'Ah, good evening... here to take me back, huh?'

Her eyes looking tired for the first time the entire day, the smile on her face wiped away, Miyabi Eru nodded to the person waiting for her and she followed his lead.

'Hai hai~~'

For some reason, she didn't look or sound very happy at all.

* * *

..

Looking at her phone unhappily, Fuse Aoba looked up to the crestfallen Chihiro before narrowing her eyes in defeat.

'… Miyabi-sempai... I shouldn't have said that to her. But she was right, there is no way that **Kami-sama** would allow us to approach him right now. No, even if we were able to, he would not listen to us completely... he too, is human after all.'

'… How... how could she refuse us like that? She... she has no right to be involved in this!'

'Please, get a hold of yourself, Kosaka. It is unbecoming of you, not to mention unlike you...'

Aoba offered a small smile as Chihiro nodded and took several deep breaths to calm herself down. She was right though, it really was unlike Chihiro to get so emotional like this and she knew why.

After discussing it with Haqua and Chihiro herself, the resulting answer as to why Keima had reacted as well as answered the way he did was more or less clear.

'… I've...determined before that he was god, a devil and he was human... but what if I was wrong?'

Aoba repeated to herself as she sat down beside Chihiro, the other girl looking at the **Mai-Hime**for help, for assistance, for anything that would help their predicament right now.

Her hopes were dashed though when Aoba shook her head and looked around for a drink, any drink really, to clear her head and to take her mind off this issue.

'… It might be our fault, truly... it can be a mixture of reasons for it all to boil down to this... in the end, I didn't help him at all. I'm a failure as his student.'

Chihiro was confused at the sudden confession by Aoba and she turned to look at the **Mai-Hime** drag her hands through her hair unhappily.

'… He can only be one at a single time. He could either be **God** or devil or human... not all at the same time. Not when all of us wants his attention. As **God** he knows that there could be no favourites, I knew that and I expected out of him... but as a human, it was impossible, He himself has his own tastes and his own preferences, not to mention the 'past history' that he had with everyone was different. In the end, that itself was his downfall. He could not channel his inner devil to deliver his judgement upon us, his lost lambs.'

Pausing as she felt Chihiro's hands on her shoulders, Aoba smiled slightly as Chihiro told her to go on. She had been close, so close to the truth that she should have figured it out herself.

No, perhaps she did, and that's why she regretted at the implications of her own words that she had thoughtlessly told Keima.

Even if she had all rights to be frustrated, even if she was able to peer through the **God**'s mask, something that was admitted by Keima himself... She, of all the people should have known why he felt that way.

Why he felt that the girls were being selfish and that to ask for more was perhaps, a little more than he could accept or take.

'He is **god**, after all. That's why he was able to look at all of us more or less impartially, to treat us equally with the same kindness, acceptance and tolerance that he could muster at his end. He could have chosen to remove our memories by force if he had to, we... knew that but in the end he still chose to keep us by his side. That part is why all of us are so selfish; selfish in trying to have more, selfish in trying to find the right balance for everything. Perhaps, as a true **god**, without human emotions tying him down to us, on the same level, he could have accomplished this.'

Sighing, Aoba continued to emphasize to Chihiro that was not the case at all.

'He is **god**, devil and _human _all at the same time. Even he, the **Capturing God** has his breaking point... the moment when he gives up the notion of being **god** to all of us, to choose one of us is the day that he becomes human. The day that he accepts all of us and encourages all of us is the day he becomes the devil.'

The last part had Chihiro blushing while Aoba smiled a little wistfully.

'A demon, someone who has forsaken the ideals of **god** and goes against him... isn't that right to say that he could be someone who breaks and yet steals the heart of everyone of his lost lambs? As entertaining and tempting the idea might be, I fear that some of us would not accept that.'

And Aoba would be right on that; 'sharing' Keima was just out of the question for her but Chihiro wasn't sure some of the other more desperate girls would mind that if they got a piece of the pie.

'A 'harem' end can be considered a 'devil's ending' for a purist. It might be enjoyable for some but to the **Capturing God** who would sweat blood, sweat and even risk his own life to achieve the 'ending' of all of us, it would be a sin for him.'

'Then... what's wrong then...'

..

'He can't be wavered, he should not be wavered... but in the end, the human part of him wavered... Miyabi Eru, the person who could see and touch the human part of him is trying to bring the human part of him out. Reacting defensively, he searched answers from the only source that he could use, us... specifically me... and I failed him. He desperately wished to keep the _human_ inside him sealed away for our sake, or perhaps... to fulfil his own promise to others.'

'… He says it's always for the girls... he was always afraid that he would fail... that he couldn't do what he promised to do to all of _them.'_

'Chihiro...?'

'He... has to save all of them... all of us did not wished to be saved... no, we wished to be saved but we wanted more, and that's why he kept himself distant... but in the end, was it too distant that he too forgot what he wanted to do in the first place... to 'save' all of us?'

* * *

**Author's Notes: I know where I'm going and leading all my readers to. So tell me what you feel about it?**

**And... I'm feeling not just a little, but very frustrated at being unable to find a copy of Fire Emblem: Awakening.**

**Seriously, Nintendo? What is this? :Endrant:**


	50. Similarities

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 50: Similarities**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: This chapter was brought to you with the help of ****_AKAAkira!_**

**Ugh, perhaps I should re think the summary of this fic.. I squirm whenever I read it myself too...**

* * *

..

'…'

Back in the relative safety of his own room, Keima hadn't responded to Mari's call for dinner till Elsi barged in to drag him down for dinner.

He was very surprised that Elsi had not tried to continue the earlier conversation that she tried to touch on after school but he had left before she could gather her thoughts together.

Still, it really could be worse as Elsi didn't comment on the argument he had with Chihiro at all during dinner. That brought to mind the fact that he would have to meet up with at least some of the girls tomorrow. That would surely be awkward... especially if it created some sort of rift between all the girls.

Right now the 'truce' and 'ceasefire' agreed by all of them was only in place due to Aoba and it was also thanks to her effort that he had gone on for so long.

He... had wronged her today but his pride was a stubborn thing. He had the right to ask her of that favour, hadn't he? If that information was not given to him, what would have happened if there was yet another capture...?

'Keima-kun?'

Mari's voice broke him out of his contemplation and he looked down at his bowl of rice before starting to eat again.

Once again he had almost fallen into the trap of looking at the girls as capture targets instead of them... being them. Was it wrong? Wasn't this what he wanted in the first place? He couldn't get attached to them, it wouldn't be fitting as he was **God. **If he could choose... this problem wouldn't surface in the first place!

But he couldn't ignore them, not when this was a balancing act... that was the dilemma.

And when Fuse Aoba, his student of all things, tried to question that firm belief that they were not just 'capturing targets' it had made him snap for he didn't have a ready answer for her.

At this point, when all the dust had settled and when everything was accepted as the norm, the realization that he had become accustomed to this made it all the more difficult for him to deny that he could, in all of likelihood, fall prey to his own _human_ side.

Yet, if he stopped listening to his _human_ side... what would that mean for him or the girls? They deserved more than this as they were heroines for him, no, he was the one who gave them that title.

If he had not treated them as heroines, they would not have fallen in love with him. However, to save them he had to make them heroines.

He couldn't have left them alone, could he in the end?

No, that wasn't right. He successfully chased away a Weiss without using love; to be exact, Kureha Haruka was 'captured' that way. Love might be a factor involved but it wasn't the _only_ factor involved like the other girls.

Could it be that Kureha Haruka's capture had finally tipped the balance?

..

There were no excuses left for him, were there? He had successfully captured a girl without using love. The sky was the limit now as he proved that it was possible to do so without using 'love' as his only weapon.

Did that mean he could finally retreat back to the **world/ideal** that he for so long cherished? To do that, he had to give up the girls who were still looking at him, and would not let him just walk away without any repercussions or perhaps regrets.

Was that the way he wanted all this to end? For him to return to what he was like before? He would not have hesitated, or even wavered a few days ago. However after she met that woman, Miyabi Eru, and her outlook on life, her betrayal by her companions yet, unlike him, her ability to still stay rooted in _Real _made him hesitate on just going for his **ideals **once again.

He could save, continue saving the lost sheep that he wandered across in different ways, in ways that might not affect him so adversely and yet continue his preferred lifestyle. Even Elsi wouldn't complain about anything if he got his job done, would she?

Somehow, Keima doubted that and he sighed again, putting his bowl of rice down before turning to look at Elsi, who was in the midst of dinner, laughing with Mari as they chatted over school.

If only life was as simple as Elsi thought it would be. It was far more complex than one could imagine after all.

Just like her, keeping others at a distance, yet who still manages to keep who she treasured close... was that what he wanted as well?

Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** really didn't know but he was determined to find out.

* * *

..

'Ah, morning, Keima-kun~"

Smiling as she passed by Keima along with another girl, Yoshino Asami, a junior that she only met the day before, Miyabi Eru was reminded of what had transpired between her and her junior, Aoba. Their confession made Eru feel a little jealous of him but at the same time, happy that she was right.

Although, she felt disappointed that Keima didn't immediately respond to her greeting, but in retrospect it really wasn't that surprising at all seeing how laconic he had been the day before. She also smiled and nodded at Asami, who seemed a little apprehensive.

'Good morning, sempai.'

Bowing to her formally, it seemed that the younger girl didn't know what to do about her. She had broken the ice with her the day before, her interaction with Aoba was purely inspired and she doubted that she would ever do that again in her presence.

Still, Aoba was fun to tease when it was possible. Knowing that the girl genius held her in a positive and respectful light was touching and it made her regret a little that she couldn't allow Aoba to get closer to her.

On hindsight, perhaps Aoba herself was holding back some of her cards and it suited her fine. Humans were human after all, and they had their own self preservation techniques and priorities that they have to take care of as well.

She wouldn't fault Aoba for that. In fact, if she could she would want to congratulate her for doing that.

To her, to Miyabi Eru, that was the right way to go. To keep one's friends close, but at the same time, to use them to keep her enemies further away from her.

It might be sad, but that was the best way to ensure that everything was fine and dandy.

'Morning, Asami-chan~ I hope you're well~'

Eru wondered if there were any communication between the girls who were after Keima. If so, it might be likely that Asami knew of the conversation she had with Aoba and Kosaka the day before.

It was not that she was being mean or anything, but she couldn't help herself now. Not when she could find someone so alike her in the first place!

She'd been there, she knew what it was like and what the worst case scenario was. So if... they were to ask her why she is doing this, the answer to that would be to save him as well.

To make sure he didn't go down the same path as she did. The regrets would haunt him forever, just like how it haunted her now.

But there was no going back for her, neither was he when he was at this stage. Would he regret it later on when looking upon this time in his life? She couldn't say, no, no one could say as it was not a foregone conclusion.

'I'm being pessimistic.'

Eru told herself and for a moment, wondered Keima heard her as he echoed her wistful tone. Had he been eavesdropping on her all this time? If so, she wanted to congratulate him as well for being overcautious, especially towards a girl! One could never be too careful after all!

'Pessimistic... huh?'

But he fell silent after that, going back to his games while Asami smiled apologetically at her, knowing full well that it was in his own nature to do this and he meant no offence.

Most of the time, anyway.

'Oh, I've something to show you today, Keima-kun, would you be free this afternoon?'

If Asami expected him to say no, she was in for a surprise as after a brief pause, Keima nodded his head in agreement.

'Great! It'll be a date then! After school, we'll meet at the shoe lockers, kay?'

Rushing off after securing that important appointment with him, Eru gave a small smile to the shocked Asami even as the two of them continued on their way to school together.

* * *

..

'He said yes! Yes... he just... just agreed to meet up with her for a date!'

It was hard for the other girls to console Asami, who was currently biting her own collar in frustration at how easy it was for Eru to ask him out. It showed how much interest the two of them had for each other and how difficult it would be to keep her from him.

It was strange how difficult it was for the 'captured' girls to ask him out and so easy for a 'capturing target' or anyone else to do that that they began to wonder if Keima had gotten tired of them.

That irrational fear was put to rest by Aoba, who said that it was a ridiculous notion and no one challenged her since.

A very good thing as she herself was a little unsure about that.

The strategy session she had with Chihiro earlier paid off in spades and she was able to come to better terms and understanding of Keima.

Looking back at the situation from his point of view, it wasn't really difficult to see that he had the right to do what he had done so far. Not that she would ever, ever tell him that.

Asami was a little too loud for comfort though and Aoba thanked the stars that Elsi was able to pull Keima away to eat lunch with her and Haqua instead.

The other demon girl hadn't been very helpful this time around. Neither was Elsi, but Aoba knew that first and foremost, the two of them were the 'partners' of Keima and they had their own little mission to take care of.

Aoba didn't blame the two of them as they still agreed to render assistance to their cause, deciding to take Keima's attention while they held a strategy meeting to decide whether they should interfere in this new development or not.

The alliance and truce they had fought so hard for was dissolving in front of her eyes as she could see that although Keima really didn't quite mind what happened, and his treatment and attitude towards the girls were the same, the girls themselves were a little disillusioned at the current state of affairs.

No one was in front and neither one had significant advantage over the other; that was one of the side effects of the truce and the agreement they all had.

It worked both ways as in the end, no one was benefiting openly at all. Something that the girls would eventually grouse about; Aoba didn't think it would come so soon though and she scratched her head slightly.

..

That said, there were naturally two camps split between the two decisions. Asami, Mio, Tsukiyo, Kanon and Minami were all in favor of interfering and trying to persuade Miyabi sempai to back off from Keima, for a lack of better word to describe the situation.

The other girls, who were a lot more passive (Minami was a surprise though), disagreed and wanted to simply observe the situation further before making any rash moves.

Right now though, all of them were caught up in trying to console Asami, who had related the happenings in the morning to all of them after that brief discussion. All of the girls, with the exception of Kanon and Minami knew of that pain and disbelief and were trying to console Asami.

Even Aoba flinched a little when she heard that, knowing that signified a big change in the way that Keima was thinking and behaving. The behavioural changes were unexpected and this would affect her assessment on things. It seemed that both parties were willing to interact, this was bad and good at the same time.

'There, there, Asami...'

Holding her hand and petting her shoulders, Kusonoki was feeling and looking very awkward as she tried to console Asami with the other girls' help.

Chihiro, her partner in this endeavour had been split on what to do after the end of their discussion. Whatever that Keima was afraid of, and what he wanted to do, was not far from his mind. He himself must have realized the fallacy of his own actions and was trying to sort it all out inside him as well; that was what the girls themselves decided and they were loathe to interfere.

On the other hand, Aoba and Chihiro both knew that it was possibly the best opportunity they had to break their way into Keima's heart. If they were right, Keima was feeling the effects of his own unwritten rule, the rule that he must treat everyone equally and not as individuals.

It was an easy to understand rule that Aoba had figured out on day one before writing and making clear the rules that the girls themselves must follow as well. It had been hard bargaining and there were many arguments between the girls before the truce was finally decided on... in the end however it had been worth it.

Or had it really? Aoba herself wasn't sure now after looking and sensing the end of the 'truce' that the girls had enjoyed so far.

All of them had been able to spend time with Keima, but were they and Keima enjoying themselves and each other's company? Aoba couldn't really give a definite answer to that even by her own experience.

..

Yes, she had enjoyed her time with Keima and she was sure that Keima appreciated and welcomed her company but at the back of her mind, yes, nagging at the back of her mind was the thought that she would have to give Keima up to the 'next' girl who was going to meet Keima.

It wasn't exactly 'sharing' Keima, it was something similar to 'loaning' and as such, broke one of the criteria of the 'harem' route. None of the girls wanted this situation, Aoba was right to say, as although some of the girls would be satisfied with 'sharing' Keima, as ridiculous as it sounded, all of the girls were unhappy with this arrangement.

Yes, they were able to have Keima's attention when they were able to spend time with him but at the same time, were constrained by the same rules that gave them that chance.

They couldn't 'cheat' or try to gain an unfair advantage in any means and any information gleaned about Keima has to be shared equally amongst all of them. At least that's what they agreed on and each and every one of them knew that there was the distinct possibility that each one of them were holding out on each other. All of them could have that one advantage that would turn the tide the moment the 'truce' ended.

If Aoba had to be blunt, the main issue with the 'truce', as discovered by everyone of them by now, was on Keima himself. It was not that he was distancing himself, all of them were clear that he was closer to them than every before.

He was truthful in his words on everything but that secret which he kept with his partners, was more or less considerate of their actions and most importantly, never actively tried to shrug them off when they got close to him, both figuratively and literally.

Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** was simply keeping them at arm's length. Yes, some of the girls were able to get close to him, to even partially peel back the mask that he was wearing most of the time but they were not able to truly understand him.

The one who had the best chance as well as the least chance, Aoba and Chihiro respectively knew that.

Being a genius, Aoba should be able to relate to his quirks, mindset and attitude to others but in the end, she could only guess the rules that Keima abided by.

Being the most normal of the normal girls, Chihiro should be able to understand his insecurities, fears and desires for everyday life but in the end, she could only figure out why he did everything.

And even with both of that, it wasn't enough.

They were lacking something that Miyabi Eru was able to provide. Something that only the both of them shared and had in common.

That was why they called to each other, could accept each other and could understand each other.

It was that simple.

'Excuse me everyone… I... have an announcement to make.'

Making up her mind, Fuse Aoba smiled a little sadly as she got the attention of everyone that was present. Almost all of them were there and there could be no better time or opportunity to say this.

But Aoba felt that if she did not say this, or announce this right now... she might never have the courage to do so in the future and so, after taking a deep breath, she told the girls of her intention.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Oh right, back to your usual schedule~**


	51. A Step Forward

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 51: A Step Forward**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, ****_AKAAkira_**** for the beta as always. I'll get on working on the next batch as soon as possible!**

* * *

..

Lunch between Keima and the two demon girls was a quiet affair as there weren't any 'captures' going on at the moment. Even Haqua was a little relaxed after capturing a few Weiss with Yukie's help. Although she would never admit it, Haqua was actually a little impressed with how Yukie was able to push out the Weiss with her "old-school" capturing methods. It was true that everyone has their own way to occupy a niche in one's heart and Yukie certainly was able to do that.

No matter how small that niche was, it was still sufficient enough to kick the Weiss out of the host's body... which begged the question, was Keima overdoing it?

Kureha Haruka's capture was a testament to how it was actually possible for the Weiss to be chased out by the source of the gap in the first place and it gave Keima plenty of new ways and venues to explore in how he could chase Weiss out of the host's heart.

The sky was the limit, or so Haqua thought, but Keima didn't seem interested in it at all. No, he wasn't interested in anything at all today, his gaze and focus drifting all over the place. It was in stark contrast to how focused he would be, either on his games or splitting his attention between his games and the girl that he was accompanying.

Not for the first time, Haqua had to sigh, marvel and be disgusted at how Keima could do all that without failing at one or more of the tasks that he choose to take on.

Elsi on the other hand, was strictly the opposite and she was putting her full and undivided attention on Keima as he ate his lunch without even commenting on it. Elsi's culinary skills had evolved and adapted to the human world, or to be exact, to match it with Keima's taste and needs. It couldn't strictly be called lunch but Elsi had managed to craft together an entire course of finger food ranging from small sandwiches, sausage on a stick as well as small riceballs, all bite-size and ready for Keima to eat.

It must have taken a lot of effort on Elsi's part but Elsi didn't seem too concerned about how Keima was not even appreciating it.

Haqua was no fool however; she knew damn well what had happened the day before. The argument and fallout with Aoba and Chihiro were all the rage in school, and the comments and rumours were almost too much for her to bear as many of her classmates, most of them girls but some boys, were asking if she knew anything about this exciting new development.

Opinion and hopes were mixed too on how the situation could be played out, mostly going for Aoba and Chihiro finally getting fed up with Keima and the 'harem' that they were building.

The crux of Keima's plan was to be the faceless and clueless protagonist, something that he did very well up till now. He might be odd, but to most of the girls, the fact that there were so many girls interested in him showed and hinted that there were still positive sides of Keima that were yet to be discovered.

Seeing that there were more than a few individuals who could give that claim and rumour precedence, some of the girls were a little unsure how to deal with this mysterious 'Casanova' within their midsts.

With this new development, the girls were divided in what to think or to approach this situation. With the presumed 'exit' of the two girls, would there be a change in the attitude of the other girls as well? Most of the boys were happy at this development, smugly commenting to each other that it was about time that the _Otamegane_ got what he deserved, but there was the small minority who found this change to be disturbing.

It was more than likely that the competition for Keima would just heat up with the exit of those two suitors...

..

Elsi was not the brightest individual amongst all of them; Haqua knew and accepted that but there were times, like now, that Haqua felt and agreed that she should trust Elsi to do what she did best.

That was, to be Keima's partner and buddy. There could not be anyone more suited to be that than her, Katsuragi Elsi!

'Kami-Onii-sama... Are you going out today too?'

Trust Elsi to take the most pressing issues by the horn. Still, that was how Elsi was able to get results in a certain extent as well and Haqua watched as Keima slowly nodded his head, as though a little unwilling to accept that Elsi had heard about his plans.

How couldn't she? No one knew Keima better than Elsi after all, or that's what Haqua thought.

'Mm... Please tell Oka-sama if Kami-Onii-sama is going to be out late, neh? I'll tell the rest of them too, Kami-Onii-sama... so please enjoy yourself.'

Was Elsi supporting him for some reason? Although Haqua herself knew of what had been transpiring, she wasn't sure where the catalyst for the entire situation came from. There was no reason for there to be such an abrupt change in the situation seeing that everything had been so peaceful and stable even during the capture of Kureha Haruka.

The capture of Haruka had Haqua sweating cold sweat as it was one of the most dangerous 'capture' yet. The level 4 Weiss had been so hard to restrain and if not for the assistance rendered by some of the other district chiefs, it would never have been caught. With her first taste of combat with a level 4 Weiss, Haqua was determined to not let it happen again.

'Thank you, Elsi.'

Was that an honest 'thank you' from Keima?! Haqua was stunned when Elsi just smiled in understanding before going back to her lunch as well, bringing up a few conversational topics as Keima returned to his silence again.

The bond between the two of them was stronger now. Or had it always been this strong and none of them had ever noticed? Haqua knew that Keima had been worrying about Elsi a few weeks before during the capture of Kureha Haruka and perhaps earlier than that. In the same vein, she was worrying for Keima and was giving him the support he needed by not questioning his decision, something that she wouldn't have thought that Elsi was capable of.

The world was capable of miracles after all and Haqua wondered whether the two of them were aware of this strong and unseen bond that they had formed without even realizing.

Perhaps they had, perhaps they hadn't... but it would be a little mean of Haqua to just tell them straight out.

* * *

..

'I hereby declare that the 'truce' we all agreed on to be officially over.'

Fuse Aoba's announcement was enough to make everyone stop whatever they were doing and to stare at her in disbelief. To break the truce? To enable each one of them to do whatever they wanted and to approach Keima in whatever way they wished to?

It was not unheard of, but many of them had thought this truce was going to go on indefinitely till Keima chose one of them, or till one of them gave up. That seemed to be Fuse Aoba's intention. So why was she declaring this all of a sudden?

'Due to many factors affecting the **Capturing God** as well as our observations...'

Looking at Chihiro and smiling sadly as the other nodded her head in agreement, Aoba told the girls that it would be in the interest of not only Keima but all of them to stop this truce that all of them had enjoyed so far.

'No doubt some of you might feel happy that you are not held back by each other and some of us might be upset that the advantages that they might have enjoyed with the truce was taken away... I firmly believe it is for our and his own good that we stop this... All of us are rivals for **Kami-sama**'s heart and although it feels odd to say this, I did and would still hope to enjoy the friendship that all of us had formed from the truce itself...'

It was a sentiment that Aoba felt was foolish; all of them were rivals, love rivals at that, and that meant that their individual actions would no doubt hurt each other over their own course of actions. But if she had to be truthful, she enjoyed the friendship that she had forged with her rivals in love here.

'Me too.'

It was Nakagawa Kanon who said that; it's very surprising that she could be present in today's impromptu gathering. She smiled at Aoba even as a few of the other girls nodded in agreement as well.

'All of us are friends, no? And we've been through a lot together... Katsuragi he... well, we know how he's like.'

Chihiro gave a long suffering sigh, much to the chagrin and agreement of everyone present while Ayumi pipped up as well.

'I know that I won't last as long as I did, or like Keima-kun as much as I did without seeing how... everyone of us likes him...'

Smiling a little mischievously as some of the tsundere girls turned red and looked away at her comment, Ayumi continued with her speech despite her reddening cheeks.

'I won't want to lose to any one of you... but I wouldn't want to forget the time we spent together neh?'

'Minami-chan, you told me that you didn't want to just give up... so you shouldn't just give up because of this, or when you're facing me. I won't want you to just give way to me.'

..

Looking over at Kusonoki, who was comforting a shell-shocked Minami who was still coming to terms with the news, the other girls smiled when Minami rallied and replied that it was not going to happen.

'Sempai, I told Katsuragi-sempai that I wanted to make him like me fair and square! It... It wouldn't be right to give up one's happiness without even trying, sempai...'

Her words made the other girls look at each other before Tsukiyo, out of all the people who could have spoken, declared with a small but clear voice.

'No hard feelings, everyone... it would not be elegant. Regardless of the final result... we should not strain the friendship we had formed with each other. Even if it's for Katsuragi... the beauty of our friendship is important as well.'

Kujyo Tsukiyo, one of the few girls who had pissed off more than one individual even during the duration of the truce, was surprisingly the one who valued the bond and friendship that had formed between all of them.

Her small but important speech made everyone laugh or giggle as they nodded in agreement.

'Even if it's Katsuragi... huh?'

'That's mean of you, Tsukiyo-chan...'

'Tsukiyo is right. Even if it's Katsuragi, there are things that are more important.'

'Even for love, Mio-chan?'

'A-Ah well... it depends, depends!'

* * *

..

'Shall we go then, Keima-kun?'

It was Keima who took the initiative to wait for Miyabi Eru. It wasn't the first time that he had done this and it certainly wouldn't be the last time, but it was in fact, the first time that Keima had did it out of his own will and not out of necessity.

Smiling as she greeted him, Miyabi Eru pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose before walking beside him down the corridor, catching the eye of many individuals as they left the school premises together.

Keima wasn't in the know about the shocking new development with the girls and in retrospect, Elsi and Haqua who knew about it would rather keep it that way.

He knew of the truce and the ceasefire by the girls and some details of the original 'treaty' that all of them agreed on but he was kept in the dark about the finer details, even if he himself might have figured out what they might consist of.

Either way, Keima himself was actually looking forward to this encounter with Miyabi Eru. This girl, he could sense it, knew about what he had to go through and as individuals who shared the same experiences, he too was curious as to what conclusion she had managed to come to at the end of her journey. Would it be the same as his? Or would it be totally different? He wanted to know and badly at that.

Although he was **God**, the **Capturing God** at that, there were things that he was still unsure about, his experience with the _real_ being one of them and he wanted to know whether his view on the _real_ as well as his experiences with it, had been too jaded.

It was not that he was being pessimistic, well perhaps he was like that just a little, but he was curious, very curious indeed as it was a path that he might have gone into and might still follow if the cards were lined up in front of him.

What did Miyabi Eru feel about her own situation and what were the lessons and insights from all she had experienced?

That was what drew him to her and it must've been with the same mindset and goals that made Miyabi Eru approach Keima as well.

She too, wanted to know why and how Keima was able to look at the world with that mindset of his.

That of accepting as well as rejection, judging and yet tolerating... the fine balance between the two ideals that she thought was as beautiful as could be.

The two kindred souls were similar and yet different; their views, opinions and solutions that they found could not be compared to each other.

Perhaps Elsi understood that; she, who had been with Keima all the way up till now, knew of Keima's thoughts and what he really wanted to do in some extent.

It was a new experience for the both Keima and Eru, who had rejected everyone near them at one time or another to finally find someone who could possibly share the same pain and secret.

..

'It's a place that I always like to go by myself, but I'll let you in on the secret this time~'

Miyabi Eru didn't ask for anything in return and neither did she expect any; it was a rule that she knew that Keima should have realized by now. To get something from someone, one must offer something in return. Equivalent exchange, or similar to that theory. As she was the one who was adamant in finding out more about Keima, she had to be the generous one to give up something first.

To her surprise though, Keima nodded and replied that if he could, he'll show her something as well in the future.

It wasn't exactly an agreement or anything, but to see that Keima understood what she meant was enough for Eru and she smiled happily in answer.

'Thank you, your reservation has been confirmed. Please come with me.'

Watching the attendant bowing down to Miyabi with a smile, Keima found himself out of his element as the store that he entered... could he call this a store? No, it was a complex. The entire complex that he and Eru had walked into was by itself similar to one of those smaller shopping complexes.

Located two stops away at a nearby town and accessible only through a shuttle bus that came by every half an hour, this complex was located right in the middle of nowhere. The name, a very dubious store named: 'Private World Industries'.

If anything, it reminded him of a galge company or one that made unworthy videos than anything else... was Miyabi Eru into those kind of thing as well?

'What's wrong, Keima-kun, you look a little pale.'

Keima's doubts and fears were raised up another level when he noticed that the entire first floor that was accessible was the receptionist desk, the other areas were concealed from sight and he swallowed when Eru called out to him in front of the elevator lobby.

'Are you coming, Keima-kun?'

As Eru smiled and waved at him from the distance, Keima felt a sense of dread before sighing, shrugging it off and walking towards her, his eyes and mind set on seeing this through.

Even if there were so many warning signs that he couldn't help but _not_ notice in the possible implications of the current situation, Keima was the**Capturing God** after all. There wasn't a girl that he could not see through.

What bothered him was that there weren't any reason why she would do that though.

Not right now anyway.

* * *

..

'Please enjoy your stay here.'

Bowing and smiling at the Keima as the attendant, no, Keima should say that he was the porter, took his leave, Keima turned to look at the room that they were showed in to.

It really was a luxurious room with all the works from a five-class hotel and Keima looked to the side to see Eru dropping her bag down near the dresser table before turning to look at Keima, a mischievous and dangerous smile on her face.

'I didn't expect you to have the courage to come this far, Keima-kun. Or perhaps should I feel a little upset that you think I am this desperate to book and bring you to a room all by myself? Or perhaps you were that interested in me to come with me this far, without even hesitating?'

Well, Keima did hesitate earlier but he digressed and remained silent even as Eru removed her glasses, pulled out her make-up kit and started applying some lipstick. Keima just stood there in the empty hallway, taking in the sights as well as the information gathered from this reveal of Miyabi Eru's hand.

They were in the 30th storey, the highest floor if one discounted the roof and with a suite as luxurious as this, it wouldn't come cheap even for a night's stay. This probably meant that Miyabi Eru was loaded, very loaded, to be able to indulge in this kind of luxury lifestyle. Even if she wasn't she must be connected to this hotel, yes, this must be a hotel for her to come in and go so casually.

That said, the question now was why was she doing this right now? When all the flags had not even triggered for Miyabi Eru?

After all...

..

'Mm~ Are you going to keep me waiting, Keima-kun?'

Smiling as she re-emerged from the bathroom dressed in only a very thin night dress, Keima's eyes narrowed slightly as she walked closer and closer to him, the scent of her perfume flooding his senses and not only that. The way she walked, her hips swaying side to side seductively was making his throat dry and he found himself staring at her without realizing it.

This was different from the seduction attempts by Kureha Haruka, Miyabi Eru was on a totally different level.

'Neh... Keima-kun...'

Reaching out to stroke his chin with her hands and then clutching it softly, Miyabi Eru coaxed Keima to look at her as she stood in front of him. She wasn't very tall, not as short as Tsukiyo at least but she was still shorter than him and although he wanted to look away...

He really wanted to look away but how could he? How could he when Eru had her eyes closed, lips puckered up and ready for him in front of him?

'Keima-kun... it's okay, you know...'

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: Looking back a this chapter, I had one of those: 'Am I sure I wrote this?!' moments. **


	52. A Different Approach

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 52: A Different Approach**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Once again, Thank you ****_AKAAkira _****for the beta-edit.**

* * *

..

'What would be okay...?'

Keima asked softly, his eyes still glued on Miyabi Eru as she giggled and pressed a finger on her lips. Those soft, perky lips as she teased him with her new shade of lipstick, cherry pink and looking very delicious as Eru told him that he knew what she meant by that.

'You do know, don't you, Keima-kun? Why I asked you here today, alone, out here where no one could interfere... it's okay to cheat just a little, Keima-kun... you know that it's fine right? No one... will ever know...'

Teasing him with such thoughts, Eru guided his hands to be placed on her hips before trying again, this time even taking the time to press against him, her warm body making Keima startle a little. Inch by inch, her fingers teased him, going up his chest towards his chin again, Eru not once breaking eye contact with him.

'Neh, how long must I wait, Keima-kun... it's not good to keep girls waiting for too long, you know...'

Eru's words seemed to trigger a response and the older girl smiled as Keima reached in, his head lowering down, nearing her with every second, inch by inch, agonisingly slowly as though to enjoy teasing her as well.

She could feel his breath on her, just like how hers was on him and just like she had expected, he was being a gentleman about it as well. He was barely touching her, probably too embarrassed or just being polite and despite her trying to lead him, he was still trying to keep his hands to himself.

Any other boy or male would be on her by now, a gift that was offered to them so openly that anyone else would be embarrassed by this turn of events. But not Eru, for this was what she wanted to do.

Keima was still in control of himself and his emotions, scoring points with Eru with every passing moment. Either he was prepared for this, anticipated it or just resigned to it.

Well, he could just be too nervous... but Eru doubted it. He had been hesitant earlier and so she had praised him for his bravery in coming with her till the end.

Now to seal the deal...

..

'Keima-kun... Keima-kun...'

Softly and repeatedly calling his name, Eru leaned closer and closer, dragging the moment out as she knew that it would encourage him and her for her own breathing was getting more excited by the moment as well. The atmosphere was good as well... she wished she could have gotten some wine to make it even more perfect, but this was the best she could do at such notice after all!

The mood was important, without it, there was no romance!

'You'll look much better without glasses on, Keima-kun...'

Reaching out to caress his cheeks, both of Eru's hands cupped around his glasses and began removing them, even as she felt his hands tense up on her hips.

'Stop this.'

'Eh?'

As the abrupt declaration from Keima sank in, Miyabi Eru's hands was eased off him, leaving her just standing there as he gave her some space, readjusting his glasses as he looked at her with raised eyebrows.

'Enough with the tests... we both know that you don't mean it.'

He wasn't smiling so he wasn't amused by this, nor was he excited or tempted by her actions and this left Miyabi Eru in a bit of a dilemma and an emotional wreck.

So was she not tempting enough to catch his attention nor his heart? Even when she was offering her body it wasn't enough? What then was he- oh...

'If you really meant it, you would at least have the decency to close the windows... although being in the 30th storey might make that not necessary.'

As Keima walked past her to look out of the window, Miyabi Eru swore she saw him sigh just a little as he turned away from her and continued without facing her directly.

'The atmosphere wasn't perfect, it would be ideal if it was held in the evening... you exposed yourself a little too prematurely when you hinted on your intent earlier... not to mention that if you truly wanted what you were insinuating, you would not have given me an escape route, would you? Lastly... this is not an image befitting of you, especially with the amount of respect that Aoba had in you. You are not someone as shallow as that.'

He sound amused, not angry like she thought he would be and after staring at Keima for a moment, Miyabi Eru finally laughed outright, clutching her stomach as she tried hard to keep herself from falling over at how Keima had seen through it all and even listed down her faults.

He really was an amazing person, interesting and at the same time truthful and dedicated to his most important people. It made her feel a little jealous yet again, wondering if it was indeed the other girls who were able to stop him from committing a sin or because he was just too sharp for her.

'Before I answer any questions, Keima-kun...'

After several minutes of laughter, which left Eru's hair a mess and her face red from the effort, Eru asked him a question that made Keima blush for real.

'Am I just not sexy enough for you?'

* * *

..

His answer to that would never be revealed as the two of them shared some cola together in front of the terrific view that the room provided. Leaning back on the comfortable couch with a book in hand, Miyabi Eru looked to her right to see Keima playing his PFP in total silence again. Well, at least he wasn't plugged in with his earphones and was actually paying attention to her.

It was a similar situation with the _other _girls, as far as she could tell and Miyabi Eru smiled before Keima spoke up suddenly.

'You are not going to get changed?'

Looking down at what she was wearing, Eru smiled and teased Keima, asking him If it was too revealing for him. She was wearing her glasses again and had removed most of the unnecessary makeup from earlier but the dressing gown she had kept.

Apparently the way she sat lacked refinement and occasionally Keima's eyes would wander, take a small peek at her before looking away again. Even if he was just a wee bit interested in her, he was still being polite about it and the latter really had her tickled pink and feeling very accomplished.

At least he was interested in her in that way and so she decided to call this a very good day instead of just a good day!

'No, it's my secret place to unwind. Why would I want to wear something uncomfortable? Anyway, I know now that Keima-kun won't lay a finger on me by himself~'

Smiling cheekily at Keima and watching the boy blush just ever so slightly from her teasing, Eru knew that it wasn't that he was disinterested, Keima just didn't want to take advantage of her like that.

'To not partake on a dish that was served up to him, Keima-kun really is interesting...'

Piling and adding on to the teasing, Eru found herself flushed instead when Keima replied while smiling sightly.

'But if I did, I know Eru-sempai would never forgive me and would even look down on me for that.'

It was the first time that Keima called her name and it made her flush redder than she was prepared to admit, causing her heart to flutter again before she managed to calm herself down and just sigh as an answer.

'When did you figure all of it out, Keima-kun?'

He was definitely smarter than she gave him credit for and she was curious again, wondering what else she had slipped up on besides the point earlier.

'I know I should have brought you in during the evening with all the wine and the works!... would it have helped neh?'

Part of her wasn't sure why she wanted to ask him that and another part of her was face-palming at the question. She was the person who had pulled that prank on him! Why would he even answer her at all?!

To her surprise, Keima did answer her after thinking about it for a moment and crossing his arms. In the afternoon sun, the light glinted off his glasses and made him look quite intimidating while he explained to Eru his hypothesises.

'First, the location of this place was chosen poorly. It is obvious that it is an establishment that is familiar to you and which you have build up rapport with the staff of the place. To bring someone who you barely know into a place that you were obviously familiar with meant that whatever you were planning you wanted it to be in a place which is favourable to you. It is a good sentiment and I am certain that if any individual who had failed to react in the way that you wish them to, they would be dealt with quickly as this can be said to be your home turf. Just being led here was suspicious enough.. although it might have worked in a different time.'

To be specific, after the 'capture' of Miyabi Eru. IF it had happened there, Keima would have no choice but to break the 'capture' to save his own skin. Regardless of how he had seen through her actions, it was still a dangerous situation.

Accepting the glass of cola that she passed to him, Keima continued as Eru just listened on, more and more impressed with Keima's intelligence and foresight, was there nothing that he couldn't do at all?

'The location itself was not chosen well. This location simply reveals your hand fully, Eru-sempai. What I can infer from what I've seen so far are...'

* * *

..

In the end, the reason for Miyabi Eru's downfall was that the attendant and her was too familiar with each other. It was obvious from the get-go that Miyabi Eru was a reoccurring and repeat customer of this hotel. The attendant gave himself away when he wished him and only him to enjoy his stay here.

Another thing gleaned from that fact was that Miyabi Eru was probably really loaded to be able to splurge on such a luxurious suite without any care or worry. This was confirmed by her herself and Keima added on by saying that it was only a dead giveaway for her.

_'If you were serious, you would not have revealed your hand so easily, Eru-sempai... with your wealth and influence, you might be exposing yourself by showing all of your hand so easily.'_

Eru had argued that it was precisely with all the cards on hand would she be able to shake Keima like she did.

_'Looks aside, my wealth and fortune would surely be a tempting offer, no?'_

But she had been rebutted easily by Keima, who seemed very upset that she would think that way and offer his own explanation as to why.

_'Scum who are tempted by money, to be specific, tempted to get close to you due to your wealth and fortune would have taken you regardless of your looks. Those are the individuals that would not even need this little 'test' that you are conducting.'_

_'A test that you passed with full marks, Keima-kun~ Though I was a little worried at the end, but you know, I prayed that you wouldn't do it because of __**them.'**_

The two of them hadn't spoken much after that; Eru had showed Keima the mini-bar and told him to help himself while she went off to freshen up.

Although Eru was happy that Keima passed _her_ little test, the question still remained as it was only _her_ test that had gone through. She had no idea what Keima's opinion of her was, but from what she herself could glean from him, he was still interested in her even though he was a little taken-aback by that little test of hers.

It was something that she tried for the first time ever and after seeing how dangerous it was, she would not do it ever again. Miyabi Eru had gone into this headlong without thinking about the consequences but partly because she was certain that Keima wouldn't lay a single finger on her.

Now that she was sure of his loyalty, she felt a lot more comfortable with him... if that was the same for him.

* * *

..

Katsuragi Keima didn't really know what to expect out of Miyabi Eru from the first get-go but from the little test that she had organized, Keima had to readjust his view about this mysterious senior of his.

Either she was as distrustful as she appeared to be; to go to that extent for trustworthiness' sake was just a little too absurd. It wasn't that much of an impossibility however; she might be paranoid deep inside her heart, going to the extremes to reassure herself that this person was trustworthy enough to be allowed close to her.

In all honesty, if Miyabi Eru was that kind of person, Keima was a little flattered that she would allow him, someone who she just got to know to go through this 'test'.

He had no idea whether she was going to go through it at all if he had said yes, there was the distinct possibility that she sprung these kinds of surprises all the time to catch those potential 'money-hungry' leechers and kick them out of her life.

That was possible from how easily she accepted his suggestion that people could be after her wealth and she made no further attempts to hide it from him, for which he was thankful.

What he didn't get was why Miyabi Eru would want to let him go through these kinds of tests in the first place. There would be other ways to determine one's truth worthiness... or did she just want to determine how dedicated to the other girls.

Was this a plan by _them_ instead?

If that was so, he regretfully admitted that he wasn't taken in by the 'test' at all. Yes, his heartbeat had raced and all that as he was a normal, regular teenager even if he was **God..**.

What he did mind was what Eru expected out of him now. There was no equivalent exchange here... so what was her intention in bringing him here?

'Sometimes... I just want to be alone.'

Speaking out suddenly, Miyabi Eru smiled at Keima as she pulled out her cellphone and with a few presses, turned it off and tossed it onto another couch with a big smile.

'I think Keima-kun understands that feeling too, neh? To be alone... isolated with no one else but ourselves... doing what we want for as long as we want...'

Smiling wistfully as she poured herself another drink and offered some to Keima as well.

'Dinner will be on me, Keima-kun~ As reward and apology for running that test on you~ I was right, Keima-kun really is a very interesting person after all!'

It didn't seem that Miyabi Eru had anything to do with the girls, but it was true that her unique test had him on edge. She must really be a paranoid person to resort to such tricks... or perhaps being an ojou-sama, coming from a rich and wealthy family, had made all her actions so exaggerated and extreme?

The way she approached him had semblances of that archetype and after looking at the evidence, it could be applied to Miyabi Eru after all.

'Are you not concerned about me knowing that you come from a wealthy family now?'

The unspoken question of why she kept her family a secret hung in the air and Keima blinked when Eru shook her head and smiled at Keima, quoting him as she replied.

..

'Keima-kun said so yourself earlier, those scum that were after my money wouldn't have asked such a question... they would have known from the start before approaching me... If I was worried about Keima-kun being that kind of person, I wouldn't show Keima-kun all this at all neh?'

So was Eru hinting that she was going to let him pass regardless of what happened? He didn't think that the answer would be that simple but it could be true that the degree of trust that Eru had in him was sufficient enough to not worry Eru too much about divulging that secret.

'I'm sure that Kema-kun would figure it out eventually in the end by himself, so there~'

That was indeed true and Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** sighed before nodding his head in agreement to her statement.

'Then, I'm honoured that you would let me have a chance to experience this with you, Eru-sempai.'

He replied solemnly while taking a gulp of the ice-cold cola while Eru nodded as well, repeating that she knew Keima would understand her.

'Being alone... is a luxury not many can afford, neh, Keima-kun? Even right now, alone with you... I can't seem to find peace of mind. So many things going through my head, wanting answers, wanting explanations and solutions...'

Shaking her head as she placed her book down a little sadly, Eru wasn't that surprised to see Keima nodding in agreement as his PFP was lowered again and the two of them reached out for their glasses together to share a toast together.

'Still, talking about it makes me feel a bit better... thank you, Keima-kun.'

'I didn't do anything...'

He replied quickly and firmly but even Keima couldn't dispute her words when Eru told him that because he understood, because he knew what she meant, it was enough to reassure her about her fears.

'If someone understands... I feel a lot more secure about myself... sometimes, I feel like I'm going crazy when I'm alone... It's peaceful, but it scares me at times too...'

Turning her eyes away towards the terrific view outside of the high-rise building, letting her see the entire growing city skyline in the distance as Keima sighed and spoke as well.

'You shouldn't be afraid at all... you tried your best, haven't you?'

Keima's statement and abrupt entry into the conversation made Miyabi Eru certain that Keima knew what she was feeling right now, complicated and yet simple thoughts welling inside her chest as she clutched the book she was reading close to her chest, squeezing the binding hard as she leaned back on her chair.

'If you can't stop thinking even when you are alone, that means that you have not stopped running away from what you are trying to accomplish. Even if it might fail, even if it had already failed... even if there is nothing more to be done... you'll always ask yourself why, what if and maybe... All that is not important... and yet if you truly wish to be alone, to do what you wish to do... it'll do you good to stop hesitating. You've done your best, Eru-sempai... do not let the ghost of the past haunt you even when there is no one around you.'

Wise words indeed and Keima couldn't help himself when he said that to her... was those words meant for himself as well? He didn't know, he shouldn't know... but he knew in his heart as well.

After all, he had been there before once in the past. Questioning himself and telling himself the same lines.

'… You're odd, Keima-kun.'

Miyabi Eru laughed, smiling as she sat up again and nodded her head in agreement.

'… That's what I wanted to tell you as well...'

* * *

**Author's Notes: Well, give me your comments about what you think of this particular one!**


	53. A New Chapter Unfolds

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 53: A New Chapter Unfolds**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, ****_AKAAkira_**** for the beta as always!**

* * *

..

'Thank you for being such a gentleman to wait for me to change, Keima-kun.'

Smiling as she saw him waiting for her outside of the luxurious room, Miyabi Eru had taken the opportunity to slip into her casual clothes before accompanying Keima down to the lobby.

Although she had insisted in having him over for dinner, Keima had declined and said that he should be heading back.

'Are you sure, Keima-kun... ? you'll be missing out on a lot of good food...'

Biting her lip and licking them as she tried to tempt Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God,** to stay over, Miyabi Eru started but then smiled a little as Keima remarked that in games she would probably be referring to herself but she wouldn't really do that, ould she.

That remark made the mood a little lighter as Eru teased him by saying that if he really wanted it, she could really save herself as dessert. It was a good sign that the two of them were indeed getting closer as they were able to make jokes on the other's expense and Keima remarked that it was odd that she would not chastise him for even suggesting that at all.

'Us girls are interested in those things too. It's just that we like to pin it on the opposite sex as they all deserve it for being perverts.'

Sticking her tongue out cutely at him, Eru laughed when Keima face-palmed and mentioned that she was being stereotypical, in which Eru responded in turn, challenging him to come up with a counter argument with that.

The meaningless banter continued till they reached the bus-stop, in which the two of them sat together side by side while waiting for the bus.

It wasn't that Keima had forgotten about his PFP, he was actually playing on it all the time while splitting his attention to include Miyabi Eru within his list of priorities. That was something huge as this privilege that would only be granted to the '_captured'_ girls as he felt that he did 'owe' them that much.

For Miyabi Eru it was a totally different case altogether, he did it because he was, like her, curious about the other. Her confession to him earlier had resulted in silence between the two of them as they had just went back to what they were doing, reading and playing and enjoying the silence together.

Following her example, Keima had turned his phone to the silent mode and continued on playing, looking up at a few occasions just to see what Miyabi Eru was doing.

It was silly of him, but he felt... better, or perhaps more relieved when she was within plain sight. Unlike Fuse Aoba, who intimidated him just a little due to her extensive knowledge on the _**ideal**_, Miyabi Eru intimidated him as he could not read her very well. Though he deduced many things from Eru, he somehow felt there was even more not shown to him.

..

Katsuragi Keima on the other hand, didn't realize that Miyabi Eru herself was doing the same thing, looking up from her book or fidgeting a little as she tried to concentrate on the words as well.

Even she found it a little odd but she took it in stride after getting more drinks for Keima and her, feeling happy that Keima had understood her feelings.

They didn't need to talk to connect; just knowing that there would be individuals out there who could enjoy silence together was enough for them.

There was a saying that a true friend, someone who one was very close with, would then be able to share silence with you without it being awkward.

If the two of them did hear of that saying before, they wouldn't mention it to each other as they wanted it to be true, that the two of them really understood what the other wanted.

Even if it might be nothing at all, they didn't want this small wish to be dashed so easily.

'I'm glad that I asked Keima-kun today~'

It was close to a confession but neither of them felt that it was like that. It would be awkward if it really was like that but despite the many possible hidden meanings hidden behind those words, nothing came of them in the end.

That would be exactly what the two of them wanted and Keima nodded to Miyabi Eru before he got on the bus that would take him back to the train-station.

He neglected to tell her that if he really wanted to be back for dinner, he would have left much earlier... but then again, everyone had their own secrets.

Like how Miyabi Eru's shoulders dropped when another car pulled up beside the bus-stop; it was the same one that she entered reluctantly.

There were many things that the two of them would want to keep from each other, things that would be best kept hidden and unspoken.

* * *

..

'So, I assume you have a reasonable explanation for this?'

Looking upset that Keima had dropped in without even informing her, Haqua wasn't blushing at the fact that he was now eating what she had prepared for him at the last minute and instead focused on why he was here at such a late hour.

'I told Elsi that I would be staying over at another person's home.'

'… You?'

The lack of surprise on Haqua's face made Keima pause as he had good reasons to be suspicious that. Well, there was the possibility that Haqua had finally gotten used to the 'harem' lifestyle that he was currently balancing out but he digressed.

'Yes... would it be okay if I stayed over today? I wouldn't want to impose on the others...'

'And so it's fine to impose on me then?!'

Haqua couldn't stop herself from retorting fiercely but in truth she was actually quite happy that he did that. This meant that he was at least trusting enough of her to even consider this option.

'Then again... Who was the girl you were with in the first place?'

Not knowing that Keima didn't know of the broken truce, it was Haqua's turn to spit-take as Miyabi Eru's name was announced again and in a flash, Haqua was on her feet, pointing her finger wildly at Keima, seemingly shocked beyond words that he would even consider such a thing.

'Why were you with Miyabi Eru?! She's dangerous, Keima!'

Seeing Keima's eyes narrow in response, Haqua instinctively knew that she had screwed up and tried to change the conversation by telling him that she expected him to be with the other girls, any one of them but her.

'None of them approached you at all?'

'… I assumed that they were just avoiding me for the time being.'

He seemed a little depressed when he said that, causing Haqua to raise an eyebrow before nodding in understanding. She wasn't a slouch in the detective department and she knew what Keima meant by that almost immediately.

Haqua was however, going to abuse this golden opportunity to tease Keima a little as she cooed at the **Capturing God**, him flinching a little when Haqua mentioned that yes, the girls were probably still upset at him for snapping at one of them like that.

'Ah, no, it wasn't just one of them, was it? You made Chihiro mad too... tsk tsk, Katsuragi, Katsuragi... you really shouldn't have done that.'

Haqua couldn't help but feel vindicated when Keima visibly squirmed in front of her, showing that her words had hit closer to home than Keima was willing to admit.

Before she could tease him further though, Haqua's buddy, Yukie reappeared with a futon folded up nicely in her hands.

'Ah, Keima-kun, Keima-kun~ Feel free to stay over tonight. I'm sure that Haqua would like that as well.'

The woman happily as she said that, but her words were immediately contradicted when Haqua said that she wouldn't, causing Yukie to tilt her head to the side in confusion.

'Is that so, Haqua? You needn't be shy, I won't get in your way... I even cleaned up your room so that Keima can sleep there too.'

'I'll be fine in the living room, it wouldn't be polite for me to intrude in that way.'

Before Haqua could complain or even shout at Keima, the **Capturing God** had replied quickly, causing Haqua to stop mid-scream and to look distinctively awkward.

'Is that so, Keima-kun... Well, I shouldn't bother the two of you further... you two enjoy yourselves.'

As Yukie retreated from the living room, smiling and waving, Keima and Haqua spent some uncomfortable minutes together before Haqua got the conversation starting again.

..

'But it's okay, they'll forgive you for it. I'm sure of it.'

Although she wasn't sure of the full situation that had happened, as well as why Fuse Aoba had suddenly declared the end of the truce, she was certain that it was due to that incident. Somehow or another, it had made Fuse Aoba retract her statement, that itself was a first and Haqua was curious to know why she had did that.

'After all, they should be swarming up around you by now, neh? Seeing that they're free to do whatever they wanted now~'

Huffing a little as she threw that comment into the air, Haqua gave a yelp as Keima suddenly materialized in front of her like magic, too close for comfort as he stared at her in rapt attention.

'W-What is it?'

'What did you say? That they are free to do whatever they wanted...? What does that mean?'

Haqua stammered as Keima held her hand unconsciously and it didn't help when Yukie entered again, or tried to before she backed out slowly with a smile on her face.

'Tell me, Haqua...'

Face red and trying very very hard not to faint from having Keima so close to her, Haqua nodded in panic while trying to push him away.

'I-I get it! I get it! I'll tell you, so let me go!'

* * *

..

'Kami-Onii-sama?'

Starting as he looked up to see Elsi hovering in front of the window in Haqua's room, Keima blinked before walking over to allow Elsi to squeeze in the tiny room.

He had lost track of time after that revelation from Haqua, that the girls had called an end to the 'truce' that they had between each other. It was a dangerous situation for him as he had no idea why Aoba had suddenly called an abrupt end to a working system.

Or was it a working system? After his fall-out with Aoba, the two of them, Chihiro and Aoba must have went back and had a good and hard think and look at the situation from their point of view.

All of them had been complacent and overly satisfied and Keima didn't blame them for wanting some changes, even if it might endanger themselves and their friendship, as well as how they looked at him.

In fact, Keima grudgingly admitted that he applauded them for this daring act as it would indeed break the deadlock that they have with him.

What had made it difficult for him to accept was that he had no idea how he was going to approach them the day after this. Especially when he had no idea what their plans were and how they were going to treat the 'captures' as well as the 'capturing process' that he was ultimately going to go through time and time again till the contract was up.

There didn't seem to be anyway to break that particular impasse if the girls were determined to make sure that he had his eyes on one and only one of them. If it did come to that, did he have to use the final trump card and reveal to all of them the _truth_ that he had kept from them all along?

The _truth_ of the **Weiss Capturing Squad**, the true identities of Haqua and Elsi unreservedly explained to them would be his final ace in the hole, the joker in the hand of cards that he was holding right now.

Using that would no doubt enable him to seize some advantage as well as to press his own selfish needs and wants forward to the girls. There would be repercussions no doubt and right now, he wasn't sure that he was ready to pay the price for what this all entitled in the end.

It was more than likely that he would not only need to guard the girls' welfare, but also the safety of those girls as well if New Hell ever found out that their secret was out.

It was at this state of constant worry and strategy session did Elsi appear; well, perhaps Haqua had called her over after Keima had gotten the news from her.

..

Keima had explained the situation to Haqua and she had seen the severity of the situation after Keima rearranged the facts for her to go through. It was enough to raise several alarm bells in her head.

Overall, there was nothing like what they were facing last time... where they were unprepared and there were many possibilities locked within the current possibilities geared towards what might actually happen and it's not like the girls didn't suspect something unnatural was going on... so... so... so...

'Kami-Onii-sama...'

Hearing Elsi call him again, Keima looked up again to see her seated in front of him, no, she was actually kneeling in front of him. Elsi's face tinged with worry and Keima inhaled a little before sighing in response. He wasn't in the mood to tell her off today, nor did he have the mood to just tell her to go away and he doubted that she would do so.

He was just tired from worry but just looking up to see her in the same state made him pause and he asked her what's wrong, knowing the answer to it anyway.

'Kami-Onii-sama... Please, rest.'

She whispered softly while looking at him and Elsi whimpered before offering him a cup of tea that she has somehow produced out of nowhere.

'You'll get sick like this, Kami-Onii-sama...'

Raising an eyebrow to retort that it was still early, Keima paused when Elsi pointed to the clock and to his surprise it read 4am in the morning. Had he been up thinking about this dilemma for so long?

'Elsi...'

She had been up all night waiting for him to call her? Or had she been there looking over him the moment Haqua gave him the news? Keima would ask but he knew that the answer was irrelevant. It wasn't just him who would suffer if he continued like this. He deserved all this for letting the situation develop this far and so it was natural for him to try and solve this himself...

Elsi was a bug demon and Keima had glossed over her roles in the situation without thinking, not even considering that she would be of help.

All this despite him trying to teach her to be more reliable, hard working and despite all the progress she had made so far.

'… I understand.'

So for once, just this once, Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God**, listened to his sister and turned in for the night, allowing her to look over his sleeping form as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

..

'Elsi.'

Looking down crossly at the younger demon who smiled nervously and weakly as she laid in her bed, Keima sighed before saying that it was perhaps for the best.

'You'll have to stay in bed and rest.'

He ordered while Mari just smiled and nodded beside him. Normally Mari would have decided to nurse Elsi back to health herself, seeing that she was running a high fever and everything, but since Keima had volunteered to do that instead, Mari had relented and allowed the two of them to take a few days off together.

It was the first 'brotherly' act he had done for Elsi so far and Mari felt that it was a good thing to encourage him in this direction.

Now, it wasn't that Mari felt that their sibling relationship needed a change but it definitely needed some improvement. How could she put this... she just felt that it would be best for the two of them to deepen their connection with each other.

For Keima to rely on Elsi a little bit more and for Elsi to be a little more confident in herself.

There was a definite bond between the two of them, something that Mari knew could be the start of a beautiful relationship.

Even if they were not related by blood, Mari was confident that that bond would even surpass that physical and psychological barrier.

'Gomen... Kami-Onii-sama... it's my fault for not taking care of myself. Kami-Onii-sama should head off to school now...'

Another first as Keima just sighed and said that it wasn't his fault but his muttering was too soft for Mari to catch what he was saying. She had been very surprised to see Keima return with Elsi the first thing in the morning, carrying her on his back with a wet towel pressed firmly on her forehead as she dozed off on his shoulders.

Elsi had said that she would be popping by to fetch Keima some new clothes after discovering that he had stayed over at Haqua-chan's home but to see her exhausted like this was worrying.

Still, seeing how Keima was so worried about her, she wouldn't ask them too many questions about what happened.

Especially when Elsi was blaming herself again.

..

'That's not happening. Till you recover and till we find a solution to this problem, it would be best for us not to be separated.'

Mari tilted her head slightly at Keima's words, wondering what the two of them had gotten into now but she dismissed it when Elsi sighed and smiled in reply as well, tears forming as she nodded in agreement to his words.

'Thank you, Kami-Onii-sama... for giving me this chance...'

'… Hmph, that's to be expected.'

'Mm... I'm... Kami-Onii-sama's partner, neh? So... I'll do my best this time...'

Sniffing a little as Keima petted her head and then stood up to leave, probably to get some tea, the boy paused and squirmed when Mari pulled his cheeks in reply to his words.

'Mm, Keima-kun is sooo reliable today, I wondered what happened, neh? Just like a big brother.'

Mari expected Keima to blush, or to just deny that statement and so she didn't know exactly how to react when Keima simply paused, nodded and smiled slightly in response.

'… I am one.'

'Ehh?! EHH!?'

'Kami-Onii-sama...'

The two women looked at each other, the former in shock and the latter in embarrassment as Keima left the room for real this time.

* * *

..

'Where's Keima-kun...'

Pouting as she sat in her desk, Takahara Ayumi looked up to see her friend, Kosaka Chihiro sighing while hanging up her phone.

'What's wrong, Chihiro?'

'Elsi's sick... so Keima is looking after her. Mari-san has to tend to the restaurant so it can't be helped.'

The two of them weren't completely fooled but it seemed too convenient to be true and the two of them sighed before remarking that Keima and Aoba had really corrupted the two of them a little too much for comfort.

'Ah, Asami-chan.'

Perking up as she waved at Asami, Chihiro blinked when Ayumi seemed to have placed her hands down suddenly in disappointment when Asami walked over the two of them.

'What is it, Kosaka-san?'

Asami smiled as she greeted the two of them; it said a lot of Asami's character when she continued to greet them so formally with their family names but it really didn't matter now. The two of them got along with Asami... but they weren't really close with the introverted girl, was that a surprise to anyone at all?

'We were thinking of visiting Elsi after school today, would you want to come along?'

On hindsight, Chihiro realized that Asami had probably known what was going on, seeing she did walk to school with him every day and her suspicions were confirmed when Asami's smile had seemed a little forced when she nodded.

'…'

It had barely been a day and this has happened... Friendship itself, was nothing compared to love... was it?

* * *

**Author's Notes: The title is ... ominous, yes? Anyway, that aside. I'm listening to a remix of Sekirei S2: OP, and I'm feeling a little complicated inside after remembering that Kanazawa Hana-sensei is.. Kusano. Seriously?**


	54. A Devious Devil

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 54: A Devious Devil**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Once again, thank ****_AKAAkira_**** for the beta!**

* * *

'You can stop acting now.'

Keima said this to Elsi when Mari left the room and he leaned back against the chair while Elsi sat up as well.

'… You found out... ehee...'

'In the normal course of things, it should be me who fell sick, not you... but all things considering, you did well, Elsi.'

It was a praise from Keima and Elsi smiled cheerfully as she started to adjust the blankets on her bed to a more comfortable state as Keima started on his PFP again, waiting for Elsi to be done. It didn't hurt for her to be a little more comfortable as she listened but it was a first, that Keima was waiting for Elsi before he began talking. It seemed that Keima was really going to include her into this strategy meeting after all and it made Elsi giddy with excitement at him paying attention to her for a change.

'Thank you, Kami-Onii-sama! What shall we do then? Does Kami-Onii-sama have a plan?'

Asking him, Elsi sat on her bed, wiping her brows to lessen the moisture on her forehead as she smiled happily at him, waiting for the usual confident statement from him.

'I don't. There are too many variables for me to determine the proper sequence and plan to initiate. Tell me, Elsi, what would you do if you were in my shoes?'

Keima posed the question to Elsi even as his 'sister' frowned and looked down, thinking about the situation before asking a question in return.

'In what situation then, Kami-Onii-sama? Regarding Ayumi-chan and the rest or Miyabi-san?'

That was a good question and Keima nodded appreciatively while crossing his arms and placing his PFP down. Good, so she did notice that there were two problems right now that needed to be resolved.

One was Miyabi Eru and the other was the girls who no doubt were planning to 'capture' him in their own ways.

'Good, you are paying attention. About the rest of the girls, Elsi.'

'Hmm... Let's see...'

Thinking hard, and using her fingers to go through a few steps to herself, Elsi told Keima that it would be best to avoid them for now in order to find out what all of them were up to.

'Instead of going in their pace, it is always good to lead them and to instead be the one who is setting the pace, neh?'

'Good. You have learned well.'

Honestly, Keima was impressed, almost as much so when he felt that Elsi was faking the fever and the flu, purposely, to get the two of them isolated and to buy some time to gather more information regarding the situation.

'That is very true and accurate, in fact, it is one of the key things that proved quintessential in my tenure as a **God**. Even if it might seem that I am following the rules and the whims of the girls, I am merely setting my own pace in getting them to reveal their hearts to me. Even if it's true that they are the ones who are doing the 'reveal', I am the one controlling 'when', 'why' and perhaps even 'how' they do it. Do you understand so far?'

'Mm! Basically Kami-Onii-sama is saying that Kami-Onii-sama is the one who gives them the right cue and hint to talk about themselves, neh?'

'That's correct.'

Surprise surprise, Elsi had been doing her own homework; satisfied, Keima moved on to the next topic without pausing even as Elsi started to prepare some tea in front of him. Although it did rob him of the chance to showcase his intelligence and knowledge of the field to Elsi, time was of the essence here and with Elsi slowly becoming a worthwhile and reliable partner instead of the ditzy comic-relief character, it was for the better.

Or was it? Keima felt a little... odd that the Elsi he knew was changing like that. Perhaps he was at fault for initiating the change in the first place as he had started to compare Haqau and Elsi. That was perhaps the last straw for her and she was fighting hard to be by his side.

'You don't need to try so hard, Elsi...'

Muttering softly to himself, Keima realized his own slip up as it was incredibly rare for him to display emotions like that and he looked to the side even as Elsi asked him what's wrong.

'Kami-Onii-sama?'

'It's nothing...'

..

But Elsi did hear Keima and she smiled in the inside as finally, finally, her Kami-Onii-sama was willing to look and acknowledge her hard work all this time. It wasn't easy though, she had to listen to Keima's lectures time and time again before it made sense to her and even though he did notice the small changes, she was still overshadowed by Haqua.

It was... normal, Elsi thought, for him to search out for someone better than her as a partner in a pinch but deep inside she resented that just a little.

Haqua was her friend and someone she knew was just simply awesome and clever and pretty... but Elsi, Elsi was Keima's buddy and his partner; having him snatched away or with him preferring to partner with another individual was truly humiliating for Elsi even if she didn't show or hint that she minded it at all.

Right now, it was time for Elsi to prove that she can be a reliable partner for Keima and she deserved to be with him, not just because of the contract between them.

'But Kami-Onii-sama... how are we going to gather more information if you want to distance yourself from them? Would I be the one to do that?'

'That would be preferred... but since you are officially 'sick', we would have to go about it in a roundabout way.'

Nodding in affirmative, Keima told Elsi that he would instead be 'away' whenever the girls visited.

'It would be up to you to draw the girl's attention to the subject matter at hand. The most important thing to find out right now is each individual girl's stance.'

'Stance... Kami-Onii-sama means what they feel about the situation, neh?'

'That is correct. Very good, Elsi.'

As Keima ruffled her hair to praise her, Elsi started and hurriedly pulled the covers over her, passing the tea set to Keima as she turned to the side, pretending to be asleep.

'…'

It was easy to figure out what happened but props to Elsi in putting a detector to sense someone's approach. A was a good touch; and Keima praised her again by petting her head before turning to the door, wondering who it could be.

'Ah! Keima-kun!'

Miyabi Eru... again!

* * *

..

The entry of Miyabi Eru had once again disrupted the **Capturing God's **plans but perhaps... just perhaps, he could kill two birds with one stone here.

'Keima-kun, you are spacing out there~!'

Her cheerful voice brought him back to reality and he nodded before taking a sip of the tea that Eru had earlier prepared for the two of them. Elsi was making small talk with Eru, trying very hard in making it seem that she was indeed sick, but not _that_ sick to mingle with her.

'I was just telling Elsi about how much I enjoyed spending time with Keima-kun yesterday~ Do you know, your Kami-Onii-sama is really an expert in adult things!'

'Mm! Kami-Onii-sama is an expert in his games~ But don't tell Oka-sama that!'

Keima knew that she meant something else, trying to get a reaction from Elsi perhaps, as the older girl sighed and muttered softly to herself. Keima promptly shut her up by hitting her slightly on the back of her head.

'Stop it. There's no need to infest my sister with those weird thoughts of yours.'

Then Keima sternly reminded her that she should be in school instead of being here. Eru replied that she skipped school to see how Elsi was; seeing that he was absent, she thought that Elsi might really be very sick.

'And you shouldn't hit girls, Keima-kun, it won't make you more popular than you are now~'

Miyabi Eru had done her homework as she didn't seem phazed at all by Elsi calling him with such reverence or how she affectionately called him a popular person as well. She had seen first hand what was going on between him and the girls, she was a fan of the 2B Pencils after all. In the worst case scenario, she knew of how the truce was broken... or was the one who had suggested it to Aoba in the first place.

Aoba respected this individual, just that alone was enough to make her a threat and although it seemed that she only approached him out of simple curiosity, Keima didn't know what she wanted from him. And that could be really, really costly.

Well, no use thinking about that when he should be focusing on the task at hand here: getting more information about the other girls along with Miyabi Eru.

'How did you know that Elsi was sick today?'

Asking casually as he passed Elsi a cup of tea as well, Keima listened as Eru told him how she had spoken to Asami in the morning, learning about it through her.

Asami, huh? He didn't know that Eru knew Asami or was in speaking terms with her... that was a new piece of information that might be crucial later on.

'Mm~ I met Asami-chan through Aoba-chan! I was eating lunch with them two days ago, together with Shiomiya... erm. Shiori-chan was it? And Haqua! Yes, Haqua... the four of them were eating lunch together~'

Recalling the incident a few days ago, Eru blinked as Keima seemed to be deep in thought again and instead turned to Elsi, who was sipping tea slowly, trying to taste it.

'Is Keima-kun always like that?'

'Mm, Kami-Onii-sama is always like that... but you'll get used to it...'

Smiling a little as she placed the cup on her lap, Elsi coughed a bit and that caused Keima to react, him turning to her and asking if she had her medication again.

'Not yet... gomen... Kami-Onii-sama... could you get it for me please? Oka-sama took it with her earlier...'

'Alright. I'll take the tea set as well...'

Excusing himself, Keima was the model of a big brother concerned for his sister as he left the two girls alone by themselves in Elsi's room.

Of course, Elsi wanted that as she smiled sweetly at Keima as he peeped in at her while closing the door.

'Ano... Miyabi-san...'

'Please, please, call me Eru! Or Eru-chan if you so like!'

* * *

..

_'So, Eru-san..'_

_'I said Eru would do! Well, if you insist I guess I can accept that!'_

_'Thank you for coming to visit me today... I know it's a huge bother and I'm so sorry you have to make the trip down like this...'_

_Elsi stunned Eru with her overly formal manner, it made Miyabi Eru lose some of her momentum as Elsi bowed to her respectfully. What made Elsi startled a bit was how Eru too bowed in the same way, scrambling for some space on Elsi's bed as she bowed back in reply._

_This was her trump card on meeting Eru in her fine upbringing, and it paid off in dividends as it was clear to Elsi that Eru had some good upbringing, which ran contrary to how she usually behaved in public; carefree and at times very brash._

_Still, it was within the confines of Keima's limited information about Miyabi Eru as he had already determined that she was probably from a very rich family with what she was able to stay in the night before._

_Well, there was the possibility that Miyabi Eru resented her upbringing but that didn't seem to be the case in face value as she seemed natural... or controlled while facing such formality._

_At least, even if she herself potentially might not like it, her upbringing and perhaps training made it hard for her to totally ignore it, something that was definitely worth taking note of._

_'Please think nothing of it, Elsi. It is natural for me to do so as I really do wish to see you have a speedy recovery. If my visit has caused you to be in better spirits, it would make my visit worth it.'_

_Her posture was more perfect than hers and Elsi felt a little embarrassed, which was thankfully covered up by how she was supposedly having a flu and she took the chance to cough a little before smiling in reply._

_'T-Thank you once again for your kind thoughts and words. Even if we are not formally acquainted with, I am happy and glad that you are my Kami-Onii-sama's friend...'_

_It was true, Elsi was not fully or formally introduced to Miyabi Eru yet, even if she was a fan of the 2B-Pencils, she was only a passing acquaintance to all of them. But it wasn't a stretch to imagine Eru dropping by to visit her at all, even if one disregarded her obviously having her target sighted on Keima. That was something that Elsi picked up on very early when Eru popped out of nowhere like this again._

..

_'Ah... Well...'_

_It seemed that Elsi had finally caught the foxy woman's tail and she wondered what Keima would say to her after witnessing this._

_'As Keima-kun is a friend of mine, I wanted to know why he wasn't...'_

_Miyabi Eru trailed off while Katsuragi Elsi smiled in triumph at that declaration and confession from her. It was going to be hard for anyone to make them admit their reasons for coming down but with that simple statement, Elsi had baited Miyabi Eru to admit that she was here because she wanted to see Keima and not her._

_Not that Elsi would feel insulted or disappointed in that, but it was something that needed to be cleared up. If she was here for Elsi, it would be best to find out why she was here for but if it was for Keima, it would be much easier to deduce a reason._

_Actually, deducing reasons for both were still very hard, but it was easier for Keima than for Elsi, that is for sure._

_'… Well...'_

_As Elsi had the initiative, (or Miyabi Eru had given her the initiative, it really wasn't that clear yet), the little devil was going to press her advantage as much as she can, just like she learnt from Keima, one of the best in the business._

_'...Eru-sempai.'_

_Elsi was stern as she said that, waving her finger in front of her as she did so, drawing Eru's attention before she coughed and smiled sheepishly, defusing the situation as fast as it started._

_'Eh?'_

_Elsi definitely had her attention and the initiative now as Elsi leaned closer to whisper in Eru's ear._

_'It's fine if you are being truthful. Eru-sempai wishes to speak to Kami-Onii-sama neh? But using Elsi as an excuse is just going to make him upset. Kami-Onii-sama he really dislikes that! So, it's best that Eru-sempai keep this a secret from him and ask him to go out with sempai later on~'_

* * *

..

Wondering whether Elsi was doing okay with her interrogation and sieving of information from Miyabi Eru, Keima helped to wash up before remembering something that he should have checked on earlier.

'Hmm? Keima-kun, what's wrong?'

It had been ages since Keima called Mari with her name or as 'oka-san' and Mari simply felt a hand pulling at her sleeve before turning to see Keima looking at her.

'I have a question.'

'Oh... for me? Ask away, dear.'

Smiling cheerfully as she turned her attention back to the coffee that she was preparing, Mari blinked when Keima pushed forward another cup of coffee on the counter.

'I prepared that for you. It is a cafe latte, right?'

'Right... How did you...'

'You were busy with preparing the cake. But back to my request, I have a question to ask.'

'Ask away...?'

Keima never helped out at all and (Mari really meant at all), so it must be something important.

'Does Elsi seem different to you?'

'Different... how?'

Smiling as she encouraged him, Mari knew that it was something that he couldn't figure out that was bothering him. Keima was a smart boy, Mari knew that and smart might not be giving him justice as he really was a genius at many things.

'… It's hard to explain.'

'Would I get mad if you explained it easily?'

Raising an eyebrow as she noticed Keima flinching a little, the mother of the **Capturing God** smiled a little as she told him to go ahead and he did so, mumbling a little so that Mari had to strain her ears to catch what she was saying.

When he was done, Mari took a while to arrange her thoughts before replying.

'Elsi is at the age where she is beginning to know what she wants to do... you are special, Keima-kun. You knew what you wanted to do a long time ago... we all have to go through that phase... and I'm glad that you noticed as well.'

'… A phase... huh?'

'It's more than a phase, it's part of growing up... she can't be your little sister all the time, Keima-kun. She won't be forever chasing after you... sooner or later, she'll know what she wants and would fight to achieve what she set her mind to do. All you need to do at this point is to encourage her to do so, Keima-kun. You shouldn't baby her about any more.'

'I... did that?'

Looking unsure of himself, Keima started when Mari giggled and told him that he had been doing so.

'It's time that Elsi-chan grows up, Keima-kun~ You shouldn't do everything for her, you know? She's a grown girl and she's the same age as you too~ So help her instead of getting in her way, Keima-kun~'

'… Did I really...?'

Looking unsure of himself, Keima's eyes narrowed when he could hear Miyabi Eru calling out for him.

'Looks like your friend is calling for you, you should be going, Keima-kun... and is it really alright for her to skip school too?'

Mari asked in worry even as Keima shook his head and reassured her about it.

'I'm sure she has her reasons.'

Dropping that statement before he left, Keima paused suddenly before turning back and thanking Mari for her advice.

'I-It's nothing... ahaha...'

Unable to stop herself from blushing as she was thanked by _her own son_, Katsuragi Mari felt a little faint before she recovered and just replied sternly to Keima.

'That's why I'm here, Keima-kun. I'm your mother, responsible for guiding you... and you, as the big brother to Elsi, should guide her too~'

'Roger that...'

Hearing her son say that was enough for Mari and she reflected on how long it has been since he had consulted her on anything at all.

He had grown up so quickly even if his maturity was at doubt sometimes, she felt that he was finally ready to graduate from her care.

'If he is concerned about Elsi, that is a start, right?'

Mari giggled to herself before preparing the cake to the customer that was waiting for it.

* * *

..

'Elsi-chan is calling you, she needs her medicine, Keima-kun! It might be getting worse.'

'That's odd... I have it here...'

Showing Eru the pills, the two of them re-entered the room to see Elsi coughing, face pale and moist from the wet cloth that Eru had helped wipe her down with.

'Her fever, like, totally went up again! We need to get her some stronger medicine!'

It was... a script. A blatant and lousy one at that

Keima was able to determine that when Elsi stuck her tongue out at him when Eru had her back facing her and he nodded in understanding.

'Wipe her down some more to keep her temperature down. I'll go right-'

'I'm going with you! I know what medicine to get!'

'…'

Looking over at Elsi, who nodded slightly while groaning in apparent pain, Keima sighed before agreeing to it.

'Yay! I mean, okay... I'll wipe her down and you can wait for me in the front door, kay?'

* * *

**Author's Notes: Enjoy your earlier than usual update!**


	55. Curiosity

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 55: Curiosity**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, ****_AkAAkira _****for the beta edit as always.**

**Oh yes, for those that have not spotted it. Please support "TWOGK: Side Collection" too!**

* * *

..

'Your sister... is a very smart girl.'

Looking extremely pensive and quiet for a change, Miyabi Eru spoke out at long last when they hurried off to the pharmacy.

Well, they were hurrying before but had ended up on a casual pace even as Keima remarked that the two of them must be close for Elsi to lend some casual clothes to her while she was sick.

'… Ahaha... well, she...'

'She set me up.'

Narrowing his eyes and trying his best to look menacing, which he pulled off quite well, Keima was appeased by Miyabi Eru, who told him that it was her idea in the first place. Wait, appease wasn't the right word, Keima was actually outraged externally but relieved internally. Such a mix of emotions that he kept from Eru with some difficulty.

'… You told my sick sister to do what?'

It was totally out of character for Keima to do so protective and he was certain that Haqua would have laughed him off the stage if she caught him doing that. But Miyabi Eru squirmed and looked smaller in front of Keima's apparent anger.

'W-Well... I...'

'… So what is it... what is it that is so important?'

'Well, because Elsi-chan is worried for her big brother! As a fan of the 2B-Pencils, I'll do anything and everything for my favorite band member!'

Eru tried a stern expression as she did a mock salute to him but her face fell and she looked sheepish when Keima simply snorted.

'If you were really worried about Elsi, you would have stayed with her all the way instead of messing around with me. What is your real motive.'

Looking cross and acting the part by crossing his arms and staring at the older girl, Keima definitely had the initiative here, courtesy of Katsuragi Elsi and he decided that Elsi had done a very fine job.

'I'm just curious... that's all.'

'That's it?!'

It was hard for Keima not to raise his voice, he physically fought against it but gave up in the end as he couldn't fathom why, why in the world she had skipped school just for that reason.

'Pretty much. I wanted to know more about you Keima-kun.'

Recovering some of her composure, as well as her courage that had gotten her so far in her attempt, Miyabi Eru leaned closer to Keima, causing the **Capturing God** to back away a little as her eyes were fixated on him, oozing emotions that showed that she was truly, really interested in him.

'That's a stupid reason!'

It was rare for him to actually fail to find the right words to describe the situation... but it strangely seemed appropriate as it was a ridiculous reason. Why would she be so obsessed? Simple curiosity should be satisfied the day before and even if they connected in some weird and unreasonable way through their own past and experiences.

It should have been enough, so this new found curiosity didn't make sense.

Not that women made sense in general... Keima reflected thoughtfully as his train of thoughts stopped in a grinding halt as Miyabi Eru blinked and nodded her head.

'I know. But I can't help myself.'

'…'

The two of them were making a scene and after looking around, Keima decided that they should probably go to somewhere else to cool their heads.

'If you know it too... you should stop this before it gets out of hand.'

* * *

..

'I know, but it's so hard... I just want to know... more, Keima-kun!'

'You're exaggerating.'

Keima dead-panned before realizing that he was actually speaking with Miyabi Er, and he winced a little after realizing that he had given her the initiative again.. Sure, he had eased into conversation at the end of the day but to chat, banter and to even converse like this was just not his style at all. It was true that it was a tried and true method of getting to know an individual but as it was very time consuming, Keima always focused on the most important defining parts of a girl and their background instead of trying to know them slowly bit by bit.

'I know I am, but I just wanted to tell you that! Keima-kun... I know it more now than yesterday, you are someone that is more interesting than anyone I've ever met before.'

'…'

'Honest! I'm not lying!'

Pushing her glasses up as she sipped her coffee and Keima simply played his games, all thoughts about Elsi gone just like that, Miyabi Eru stared straight at him, not letting him out of her sight.

'I know Keima-kun understands me... you do, right? I told you a lot of my embarrassing secrets the day before, you know... and you've seen me in...'

Trailing off while looking a little red, Keima visibly fought the urge to retort and took a deep breath before doing what he wanted to do anyway.

'I saw nothing the day before... and yes, you told me something about your past... what about it? What... was the test supposed to mean?'

It was something that wasn't cleared up yesterday and although Keima had unhappily acknowledged and had newfound respect for the crafty and foxy individual in front of him, it wasn't nearly enough to make him drop his guard in front of her.

She was... an enigma, acting too mysteriously and with unknown objectives.

'The test... ah, that... I wanted to see if Keima-kun would stay faithful to Aoba-chan and Asami-chan~ And Keima-kun did! Honestly, honestly, I approached you because I wanted to help them... they were very depressed, Keima-kun... They are girls after all and girls can be hurt by the most simplest of things.'

Keima only snorted in reply. He didn't need Eru to tell him that, he knew that all along.

'Keima-kun should really make up with the other girls. I'll help out too if you want!'

'No thank you.'

Refusing her offer almost immediately, Keima continued on by saying that if the other girls found out about this...

'Ah, I got Keima-kun's weakness now, haven't I?!'

Clapping her hands together, Eru leered at Keima even as the **Capturing God** narrowed his eyes at her in return.

'They'll kill you.'

'EHH? Really?!'

To onlookers, the two of them were like good friends who were chatting with each other, a sight that was all too common in the cafe. But for the two of them, it was a rare and unique experience that happened once in a life time, or at least, it seemed so for them.

* * *

..

The two of them had been here for quite some time now and had quite an energetic conversation with each other, gathered and focused mainly on the girls themselves.

Eru had been adamant that Keima make up with them while Keima simply stated that there was no making up to be done.

This led to the two of them exchanging reasons, Eru pointing out the fact that he had a public falling out with Aoba and Chihiro while Keima stating his point in that he had been saying the truth to the two of them.

He wasn't going to take his lines back as he had been saying the truth. Those words hurt him inside, so deep that he didn't realize it but Miyabi Eru apparently did she called him a hypocrite.

..

_'You said yourself that I've done my best already and I shouldn't look back and ask. You are the one who is doing the same right now, aren't you? Even if you don't want to admit it... you are the ones with regrets. Yes, yes, yes... I know I'm at fault as well for having regrets, everyone has regrets... that's natural... You are right in saying that I shouldn't let my regrets pull me down, at least too much. But you are the one who is denying those regrets in the first place!'_

..

It reminded Keima of his conversation with Elsi, about how he had questioned his own acceptance of the contract and had in the end gotten over it.

It was a question that had been unanswered and yet closed satisfactorily because he had confronted it... even if he didn't dare to think of the 'what-ifs'...

Yes, he hadn't dared to think about it but Elsi had provided closure by telling him that it wouldn't have mattered.

Elsi... had been the ones to chase that regret away and Keima paused for a while after Miyabi Eru's rant at him. She too seemed to realize that she had finally gotten through and she waited for a response.

_'… Is that a regret then?'_

He asked softly and when Eru nodded in reply, Keima simply nodded in understanding.

'Then I suppose I am a hypocrite... I don't want that to be regret... I want myself to be firm, to be unwavering. Why, must you keep bringing this up?'

A question to Miyabi Eru and she answered without hesitation.

'As I have too many of the same regrets to ignore someone else who has the same.'

A clue to her past. Keima relented and told her that she would think about it.

* * *

..

'Anyway, back to the topic, Keima-kun! I want to know more about you. That's all, plain and simple! I want to be friends with you.'

It was a statement that contradicted the two of their innermost and important values and it must have taken a lot of courage from Miyabi Eru to say that out loud.

As well as for Keima to not dismiss it immediately when she spoke it.

'Friends... with me?'

Keima repeated the statement as if it was from a foreign language and who could blame him, had anyone call him his friend at all?

Even Ayukawa Tenri, the childhood friend, viewed him as a love interest first and foremost and not as a friend.

Okay, that was a stretch, would classmate do then?

'Mm! Friends! That's what we call it over here.'

'… What?'

The dumb statement was enough to earn a knee-jerk response from Keima again and he face-palmed, a sign that she really was getting on his nerves as Eru continued on unrelentingly.

'Friends, people we could spend our time together, doing things together, talking together, arguing together and generally sharing secrets with each other!'

'… And why... would you want to do that with me?'

It was getting really hard for Keima to just sit there, he wanted to just leave right now, leaving Miyabi Eru behind but he knew that even if she did, she would follow and pester him nonetheless.

'Because we have a lot in common. I think we can get along, don't you?'

'I don't.'

'You will, because you are getting along with me right now.'

Pointing that out shrewdly, Miyabi Eru said the statement that broke the camel's back as Keima stormed off immediately with her looking at his back in smug amusement and victory.

It was her victory and she knew it. She'll have to thank Elsi for this one later on.

* * *

..

Keima was fuming at being led on by Miyabi Eru just like that. It had started out so well too and he realized that he had been underestimating and giving the above-mentioned girl too little credit for his own good.

The limited information that he had right now frustrated him and if it wasn't for the fallout with Fuse Aoba, he knew that he would have a much better chance than struggling alone.

Elsi had been unable to dig out any personal information about her, probably due to her family's influence or pressure on the school to keep her records confidential. It was like walking into a brick wall and Keima groaned a little as he made his way back home. He hadn't the time for this right now, especially when he had to find a way to deal with the other girls as well.

...Deal with?

That was the wrong phrase to use and Keima lowered his head in shame as he realized that he was going to fall into the same trap he did the day before. This wasn't a capture... nor was he in the _ideal_, this was the **real **and it worked differently, with different rules.

They were real, living, emotional human beings like him. It pained him to say that to himself, reminding himself that what he did to them was not exactly the greatest thing nor was it an accomplishment. Even if it might have satisfied them at the start, it was a step in the wrong direction in the end.

To admit that it was the best thing to do would be an excuse to try and satisfy himself. That... was the final answer he had came up with, perhaps a little too late to stop the final onslaught from the girls.

Shaking his head, Keima decided that he should return to check on Elsi; with any luck they would be able to finally come up with a plan of action before any of the girls could come knocking on the door.

And they would, they most definitely would do so; it was almost guaranteed that they would.

* * *

..

'Kami-Onii-sama.'

Elsi was stern with him as he entered her room again and that was something that Keima certainly didn't expect as he stared at her for a second. The demon girl's arms were crossed and she was tapping her finger on it repeatedly and incessantly. It was such an odd sight that Keima couldn't help but stare for a few moments before he recovered. But the facade didn't last long as she ended up giving him a begging expression, arms clasped below her chin as she pleaded with him.

'… You should accept Eru-sempai's offer.'

She said so while giving a hopeful smile. Pushing her hair back as she tried to tidy her hair without using a hairband, she asked Keima why he had done that.

'… You were listening in on us.'

Keima spoke matter-of-factedly and Elsi nodded slowly, mentioning that she had practised hard before she could do what Haqua did before; split up her raiment and control them separately.

'Once I did that, it's easy to use the other functions like to check on what the others were doing~ I can't control as many as Haqua though... but I thought that it'll be important to listen to what Kami-Onii-sama is doing... are you mad?'

Looking at him meekly, Elsi gave a sigh of relief as Keima shook his head and told her that she did a good job.

'We're partners, Elsi... even if I did hide things from you before.'

Admitting that with a wince as Elsi pinched him unhappily, Keima noticed that Elsi blushed when he admitted that frankly and that probably meant that she was happy that he was truthful to her.

'The saying goes, to fool the enemy, one must feel their own allies... but right now, I think that you're ready to graduate.'

'Graduate?'

Elsi looked confused at Keima's declaration, but Keima recalled what Mari had said to him earlier that day. He was going to need all the help he could get after all and encouraging Elsi to be better would only have positive returns, not negative ones.

'Yes, this would be your graduation test, Elsi... after which, you can proudly declare that you are the buddy of the **Capturing God.** You would deserved no less.'

Elsi would be insulted if she didn't feel the same, she had been helping Keima out all along but really, she had only been instrumental in catching the Weiss after it was chased out. That was difficult but compared to the stresses and physical trauma/injury that Keima deals with on a daily basis during each capture, it was a walk in the park.

'I understand, Kami-Onii-sama... I'll do my best and make you proud!'

..

'But Kami-Onii-sama... you should take up Eru-sempai's offer.'

'… What offer?'

As Keima made some tea for the two of them after lunch, which Mari had brought up earlier, Elsi frowned when Keima simply ignored her again. He was playing dumb and Elsi sighed, looking for the first time like the elder sibling among the two of them as she narrowed her eyes at Keima.

A total role reversal and deep inside the two of them wondered if they could accept that as it really seemed too odd to be real. Even so, with her doubt and uncertainty, Elsi rallied on and told Keima that he knew what she was talking about.

'Eru-sempai she wants to be Kami-Onii-sama's friend desho? I don't think it's a bad idea to do that... Especially since Kami-Onii-sama doesn't have any friends at all till now.'

Putting the harsh and hard truth to him, Keima was about to say that he didn't need any friends when Elsi pre-empted him and told him that although that was true and that was what Keima had been used to for so long, she felt that it wasn't a good thing.

'Because Kami-Onii-sama has always been lonely... I can feel that... I don't mind it if Kami-Onii-sama only has my by your side... but... Kami-Onii-sama... one day, even I would have to leave you.'

It was a continuation to that conversation a very long time ago and Keima decided not to interrupt her as it was something that she was very serious and concerned about.

'Oka-sama has entrusted Kami-Onii-sama to me... and I would like to be with Kami-Onii-sama till the end... but I know that it is impossible. Kami-Onii-sama don't want that... I do not know what Kami-Onii-sama feels about it or feel about me, but I know that Kami-Onii-sama just wishes to be free from the contract... neh? I'm... not supposed to be here at all.'

Looking intently and touching at her own collar around her neck, Elsi sighed softly even as Keima passed her a cup of tea.

'Kami-Onii-sama... you told me then that you had some regrets, about whether you should have accepted the contract but I didn't tell you how happy I was that Kami-Onii-sama accepted the contract. This is my duty, Kami-Onii-sama... my duty as part the Weiss Capturing Squad but more than that, Kami-Onii-sama is the one who taught me and showed me how... hard it is for everyone when they are possessed by the Weiss. The Weiss itself is dangerous but it is also hurts people in ways that they might not recover from. Kami-Onii-sama is the one who is able to save all of them... and now that Kami-Onii-sama acknowledges my hard work... I want to help Kami-Onii-sama capture all the Weiss to save all of 'them' too.'

It was probably the same conclusion that Chihiro had came to and Keima lowered his gaze a little, staring at his own cup even as Elsi continued on.

'I believe that Kami-Onii-sama wishes to be free from the contract... but even without it, Kami-Onii-sama would still find a way to save all of them if you knew they were suffering... that's the Kami-Onii-sama that I know, the **Capturing God-sama** that I... till now, still worship.'

Looking at him and refusing to break eye contact even as she bit her lip, Elucia de lute Ima, confessed to Keima.

'Because Kami-Onii-sama would do that, b-because I know he would... when the time comes for me to leave, I... I don't want to leave, Kami-Onii-sama... but... but I won't have a reason not to...'

Keima didn't say a word, sensing she wasn't done. In actuality, he sort of expected that declaration. But even if he did expect that, he didn't expect to feel a little bit hollow inside.

'… Even if Kami-Onii-sama is my big brother now... even if I really really really wished to be blood-related siblings...'

As she continued on, Keima looked to the side as tears started forming in Elsi's eyes, welling up even as she tried to be brave, to finish what she started by herself.

'W-We... we aren't... really brothers and sisters... a-are we... Haha haha... I-It's... weird, I don't want to cry now but... but...'

Pausing as she furiously wiped her eyes, trying to keep her composure even as it only made the tears flow more freely and unrelentingly. As a few seconds pause turned to minutes, Elsi started sobbing as she struggled to form coherent words, the emotions probably too much for her.

'I... I don't want to... _hic_, it's just not what I want to say... _hic_ Please forgive me... Kami-Onii-sama... I'm useless after all if I can't even say what I want to say...'

Elsi gave a small gasp as Keima reached out to Elsi even as he was looking away and Elsi hesitantly held his hand before gripping it tightly and sobbing again, clutching his arm tightly for comfort as she poured all her emotions out in one go.

'It... it would be time for me to leave, Kami-Onii-sama... _hic_ it can't be helped... I, don't belong here... even if I want to... selfishly cling on to... all of this... it wouldn't... be right. I'll just... watch everyone...'

Elsi couldn't finish what was already implied as Keima reached out to touch her shoulder, warning her not to ever do that. Elsi was older than all of them, older than he and Mari combined but it was something that should never be mentioned. Not when it would just hurt Elsi more if she admitted that now.

'I want to... I really want to, Kami-Onii-sama... _hic_ but it's not possible. _hichic_ So... So, Kami-Onii-sama... please, even if you... don't accept Aoba-chan... or anyone of them... could you please, fo... for my sake... and for Oka-sama's sake... please try, just this once... with Eru-sempai. Eru-sempai she... she told me that she wants to understand you, Kami-Onii-sama... and... and.'

'That's enough... is that what you want?'

Elsi startled and her eyes widened as Keima spoke out softly his answer. The **Capturing God** sighed before nodding his head at long last even as Elsi continued staring at him.

'… Damn you Elsi... damn you to hell.'

He couldn't help but voice his frustration just a little at Elsi though but it only made the little demon giggle in response, knowing that he didn't, couldn't really mean it now.

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**Author's Notes: I like this chapter alot, it has alot of character development and interaction. What do you guys think?**


	56. Friendship

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 56: Friendship**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

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**Author's Notes: This chapter, is brought to you with the help of ****_AKAAkira_****. Thank you!**

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'...'

In no way was Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God, **enjoying this little meeting that he had arranged with Miyabi Eru courtesy of Elsi pulling the strings. The two of them were currently sitting in one of the booths in Cafe Grandpa, a place that he would rather not be in.

Elsi must have cut a deal with Mari to embarrass him like this.

Again, Keima had to stress that this was all Elsi's fault but he admitted that he really had given her too little credit for she had successfully manoeuvred both Miyabi Eru and him to the negotiating table together. …Keima would've punished Elsie for being so manipulative, if she hadn't brilliantly manipulated him using the truth. And Keima was certain that she wouldn't joke about her confession to him. She would really be gone if all the Weiss were captured and the terms of his contract fulfilled.

He just, couldn't really get a good grip on what he felt about that at the moment and it was with that conflicting emotion that he faced Miyabi Eru in front of him in Cafe Grampa, sipping some coffee while she too stared back at him.

The two of them were waiting for each other to speak, kind of like a chess game, only neither of them wanted to be white and start first.

Eru hadn't sounded that surprised when Elsi called her to arrange this meeting, then again, Keima wasn't that surprised to know Elsi had her number so it all worked out.

Maybe deep inside, the two of them knew that they were going to sit down together once again. For Miyabi Eru, it was all about belief, she knew that somehow or another, she would get to know Katsuragi Keima, and for Katsuragi Keima, he knew that the _real_ wasn't through with him yet.

The entry and entanglement of Miyabi Eru into his life was the key to that and till he resolved this issue, there wasn't a chance that he would be going back to his old routine again. Such was the _real_ and if that was how it was to be played, he might as well kill two birds with one stone by confronting her right now in his own terms.

This would help curry some brownie points with Elsi, although the thought of him needing to do that boggled his mind. Still, it'd be a good opportunity to see how far she has gone once again.

'So... Keima-kun. What is it... that you want to talk about again?'

Breaking the silence and making the first move, Miyabi Eru got straight to the point while Katsuragi Keima feigned ignorance, trying to find out what other information Elsi might have fed her. He wanted a feel of how his partner was dealing with the situation without asking her directly. It was a test, both for him and for her and as he was in uncharted territory here, it was actually quite stressful.

'I don't know what you are talking about, Elsi said that you were the one who wanted to meet me.'

'… As if that was true, Keima-kun. You wouldn't come here unless you wanted to. Not even Elsi-chan could force you to sit here and wait for me if that wasn't true.'

Catching the slip up there easily, Miyabi Eru frowned when Keima himself nodded in agreement.

'That is true... but Elsi did call me here...'

'A-Ah... is that so? You're more of a sis-con then I thought then.'

Even as Eru said something ridiculous, Keima didn't let himself get baited and instead just raised an eyebrow, almost as if saying: 'Really now?' That that made Eru giggle slightly before leaning forward, adjusting her blouse while saying that it must be for her then.

'Keima-kun is interested in me then? I can see why-'

'I can't.'

Keima deadpanned as he really wanted to nip that in the bud, especially since they were in plain view of Mari, who was currently occupied serving the other customers.

She hadn't been that happy to see Keima down here instead of doing his duty as a big brother but Mari relented upon seeing the serious expression on her children's faces.

Now, Keima had no idea what Mari felt of the current situation with the 'captured' girls. He did know that Mari knew and had met some of them during the school meet a few weeks ago but hadn't known who exactly.

..

Still, Keima was surprised at how tolerant or perhaps, calm she was at knowing that there were many girls who were after him, literally and here we had another girl who was looking for a piece of the action. It should be too much for any mother to bear really, knowing that it was actually possible for her son to have a harem while he was in high school.

'That's mean, you can really hurt a maiden's heart like that, Keima-kun~ You rascal, you.'

The remark slid off Miyabi Eru's back like water off a duck's and she smiled at him winningly, back to her usual self as she teased Keima.

'If you have nothing to tell me, then I suppose you're fine being friends with me, Keima-kun?'

'I'm not aware that it needs to be official, Eru-sempai.'

Keima calling her name formally registered with Eru by the way her eyes widened and her faced gained a tinge of sadness. She corrected Keima by telling him that she would like it better if he called her Eru instead.

'Eru-san is fine, just not sempai... it makes me feel old.'

'And women are sensitive about their age.'

Keima finished for her and nodded as Eru smiled in reply.

'That's right! But yes, friends don't need to be official, Keima-kun. At least... usually. But for Keima-kun, I think I need to ask for permission~'

It wasn't him that needed permission to make friends, well, to a certain extent, maybe that was true, but Keima thought that it was Miyabi Eru who was the one who was asking herself for permission to be 'friends' with Katsuragi Keima.

The girl and boy who had done so much to connect and yet isolate themselves were trying to reach out to each other. It was something that Keima had... no, that the **Capturing God** could understand and relate with without knowing all of the details.

She was always alone, just like he was always alone and even if he rejected all of them, in his own way, Miyabi Eru had done the same as well.

Forever surrounded by people but never close to anyone of them.

Forever alone but yet close to others.

That summarized the two of them and was that what Elsi sensed as well? Two kindred, similar spirits staring at each other, not quite mirror image of each other but close enough to let each other see the differences clearly enough to fascinate each other.

'You don't need to.'

Keima replied softly and as he sipped his tea, the two of them lapsed into a comfortable silence, as though the agreement had been made between the two of them. Miyabi Eru convinced herself that he was fine with her calling him his friend. And for Keima himself, resigned in letting this foxy woman closer to him.

The silence lasted for quite some time, the two of them remaining in their silence as Keima prepared more tea and coffee for the two of them. The lack of any reaction from either parties was due to the two of them waiting and expecting the other party to set the agreement in stone but in the end, neither of them did so. Perhaps, it was like what Eru had fantasized before, that their meeting and subsequent 'be-friending', was all due to fate and it was already pre-determined for them to end up in this kind of relationship.

Or perhaps it was that the two of them were just happy to share in the comfortable silence like before, when Eru showed Keima her special place.

'You should really go and check on Elsi-chan, Keima-kun.'

'… I should, yes.'

'I'll go with you then~ You don't mind, right?'

Getting up a while later, the two of them went up together, not side by side but with Keima leading Eru upwards with her just a step behind him. There was no exchange of words, nor did they didn't need them; it was only natural as they were 'friends'.

And 'friends' didn't need words to communicate or be comfortable with each other after all.

* * *

..

'Thank you for visiting, Eru-sempai~'

Smiling as Eru took her leave after spending another half an hour chatting with Elsi even as Keima played his PFP, Elsi snuck a look at Keima who simply nodded as Eru said her goodbyes.

'Kami-Onii-sama... you should walk Eru-sempai to the train station before it gets too late...'

Keima didn't look up till Elsi kicked him underneath the sheets and he looked up, annoyed at Elsi till she repeated herself.

'Please, Kami-Onii-sama... it's really getting late now.'

Keima wouldn't have noticed but after looking at his PFP screen, he nodded and offered to walk Eru to the train-station, much to her surprise as she really didn't think it would be that easy.

'Thank you, Keima-kun!~'

'Take care now, Eru-sempai~'

'It's Eru, Eru, not Eru-sempai, Elsi!'

As the two of them left her room, Elsi sighed before summoning her raiment to have a look at the display. It was as she expected, if she didn't remind Keima about the time...

..

'Ah, Elsi-chan~'

It was around 15 minutes later when voices called out to her and she smiled a little sadly to herself, apologizing quietly before smiling and greeting the voices in return.

'Chihiro-chan, Ayumi-chan and ah, Asami-chan~ Thank you for visiting me...'

* * *

..

'Elsi-chan is... well, you should know better, she is your sister, Keima-kun.'

Surely praising her, Miyabi Eru looked at Keima, still engrossed in his games while nodding in agreement to herself.

'I like Elsi-chan, Keima-kun... she's so pure, innocent and trusting~'

'… I highly doubt that you meant that.'

Retorting softly, Keima's attention was still fixed on his game even as Eru giggled as well, nodding her head in affirmative.

'Elsi-chan isn't _really _innocent but she has a good heart! I'm sure that she's learned a lot from you, Keima-kun, you player you~'

Digging at him again, Eru paused at the traffic intersection with Keima and the two of them waited for a while, not having anything to say when Eru started again.

'Do you think it'll be fine if I hang out with you tomorrow?'

'… Tomorrow? There's nothing going on tomorrow...'

'You don't need an excuse to hang out! Is it right to say hang out? Or should I say it's a date?'

'A meeting.'

Keima had no doubt that Eru was just messing with him, teasing him to respond to her and he decided that if he was to stave off trouble, perhaps it'd be good if he answered honestly.

'Ah, meeting, that's right! A meeting sounds good too! I don't want any of the other girls to be jealous, neh?'

'We're just 'friends', Eru-san.'

His statement made a pensive look appear on Eru's face and the older girl nodded, relaxed and smiled a little in reply. Everyone could see that some of the wind had come out of her sails when Keima said that and so he continued on by teasing her back.

Tit for tat was fair play, right?

'Unless Eru-san wants to be more.'

'Eh-Eh... Well, you shouldn't joke about that if you're even half-serious~ I might really fall for you, Keima-kun~'

As the two of them continued with their playful banter, there was another scene developing in the Katsuragi household.

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'I see, so Keima-kun went out earlier...'

Sounding really disappointed, Ayumi rallied quickly when Elsi smiled encouragingly at her, telling her that Elsi wasn't really fooled, but really wasn't as upset as she should be.

'I'm sorry, Elsi-can... I just... well, I didn't think that Keima-kun would actually be willing to look after you... even that sounds bad to me.'

Trying hard to undo the damage that she has done, Ayumi blushed when Elsi just giggled and said that she didn't think he would too.

'But Kami-Onii-sama is... my big brother after all... and I'm very thankful to him in staying behind to take care of me... I'm much better now...'

'Ehh... So even Katsuragi would do that...'

Chihiro mumbled to herself but the other two girls heard her and nodded in agreement. Keima's stock value was rising even without him being present, something that certainly would make him the envy of the boys in school if he wasn't already it in the first place.

'A-Anyway, enough about Katsuragi! How are you, Elsi! We brought you some notes... and homework...'

Wincing as she looked at that, Chihiro suggested that they do their homework together, seeing that they're here anyway.

'Did anyone else... visited you?'

Yoshino Asami spoke up suddenly as Chihiro handed her the papers and this caused Elsi to blink and then look away awkwardly as she revealed that yes, someone else had visited her earlier.

'Who then?'

Looking genuinely surprised, not to mention concerned that there was someone else earlier, the three girls paled a little when Elsi said that it was Miyabi Eru.

'Eru-sempai...'

Asami's face immediately fell when she heard that name; after comparing the two of them, she could tell how attractive Miyabi Eru was. Even as a girl she found the older girl to be someone she could look up to and quite honestly, there weren't a lot of people that Asami really looked up to as role models for herself.

A few of them were people like Fuse Aoba and Kasuga Kusonoki, not to mention the student council president... but that was about it. Yoshino Asami was an introverted girl and she envied individuals who had the courage, willpower and confidence to project their true self every single time. In that sense, Kasuga Kusonoki wasn't exactly a candidate but Asami still looked up to her as did many girls; she was an example of a girl with perfect form and attitude.

A staunch feminist if you will, even if it's generalizing it.

Back to the topic however, Asami was worried and rightfully so that even Keima, who had proven to somehow resist every single attempt by the girls to accept them, or in Asami's case, perhaps more than that... That Keima would be attracted to Miyabi Eru.

'Eru-sempai? Who's that?'

Looking a little confused and the only individual who was confused, Takahara Ayumi looked at Chihiro and Asami, their faces pale and worried.

'Elsi-chan?'

As the awkward silence continued, even Ayumi felt a little unnerved as the other two girl's mind raced with possibilities till Elsi broke the silence by coughing and apologizing, asking Ayumi if she could get her some water.

'S-Sure... be right back, Elsi-chan...'

As Ayumi left, Chihiro sighed as she sat down in front of Elsi, the younger demon looking at her in the eye as she asked her quite plainly.

'Chihiro-chan... you spoke with Aoba-chan didn't you?'

'I... I did.'

'Did Aoba-chan... tell everyone why all of you... agreed on what you agree to do?'

Elsi wasn't quite referring to the 'truce' by name directly, she hadn't a say in the truce at all. She was merely the observer as well as one of the enforcers. As for Haqua on the other hand, she was one of the enforcers and participants, at the insistence of Aoba of course.

'… Not really.'

Chihiro admitted while Asami looked at Elsi in confusion, unsure what to ask as she was completely out of the loop in what was beginning to look like a major screw up for Fuse Aoba.

'… Asami-chan... Miyabi Eru-sempai, wants to be Kami-Onii-sama's friend.'

With that bombshell, which was sufficient to render the other two speechless, Elsi leaned backwards and told them that Keima had went out with her as well.

'...Eru-sempai she... is very similar to Kami-Onii-sama...'

'I-Is that so...'

Asami seemed to take the news fairly well, or perhaps bracing for it made it easier as she sighed softly while pulling her own notes out. She seemed resigned to it, accepting that there was nothing else to be done about the situation if it has already happened.

Chihiro didn't agree and she sat down in a huff, asking Elsi why she had allowed it.

'… Elsi knew that we liked Katsuragi, so why would you allow her to get close to Katsuragi in the first place?'

Chihiro sounded like a child who had her toy taken away from her and her outburst caused Elsi to smile slightly before telling her that it wasn't her choice to make.

'It was Kami-Onii-sama's decision in the end... Kami-Onii-sama he... needs someone too... and right now... I think, Eru-sempai is the person who can help him the most. Just like how... he can help Eru-sempai.'

'… So it's a mission then?'

Yoshino Asami interrupted out of the blue and Elsi shook her head when she heard Asami using the familiar term used to describe a Weiss capture. But it wasn't like that. Did it have to be like this?

'No it isn't... and... I wouldn't like to tell everyone that it is... for it would be lying... and it would be lying to Kami-Onii-sama... he understands... what I mean.'

Elsi replied softly, knowing that the two of them didn't understand and so she was shocked when Chihiro nodded her head.

'… They are similar, I guess... that's what... Aoba-chan said so too... but Aoba-chan said she was dangerous too...'

'… Dangerous?!'

Ayumi's voice caused all of them to look at her, the poor girl almost dropped the cup of water and she nervously drank the water that she had brought with her as she tried to make sense of the situation.

'Tell me! What's going on here?!'

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'See you tomorrow, Keima-kun.'

As she smiled and waving at him, Keima watched Miyabi Eru walked up to the train platform before disappearing into the crowd. The **Capturing God** had been following the lead of the two girls that he had seen today and he wasn't sure whether he was doing the right thing now by befriending Miyabi Eru.

Perhaps it would be a good thing; he felt a link between the two of them, that was sure and unlike with Aoba, he liked the solitude and privacy the two of them were able to generate. They were not prying, nor were they exactly curious... they just balanced each other out. Even Keima knew that was not cutting it as an excuse in his head, what with Miyabi Eru consistently saying that she was just curious.

'Katsuragi... san?'

Looking to the side as he heard an unfamiliar, no, not really, a nostalgic voice call out to him, he turned to see none other than Konoe Rea as she smiled in recognition, or was it something else?

'Ah, I was right, you are Katsuragi-san! Good evening, I'm Konoe, Konoe Rea, I'm a friend of Shiori! Shiomiya Shiori, I mean. It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time.'

Greeting and introducing herself, Keima wondered why he was getting approached by Konoe Rea of all people, had she retained her memories after all?

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**Author's Notes: Bombshell aside, time for a new poll. It is a little late, but what the heck. So, give me your honest feed back! Check my profile for it!**


	57. Nostalgia

The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish

**Chapter 57: Nostalgia**

**Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

**Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.**

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**Author's Notes: Thank you, ****_AKAAkira_**** for the beta as always!**

**For those who didn't notice. A new poll is up, so just spend some time to do it for me, please!**

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'I've heard Shiori talk about you a lot. Well, I might be exaggerating when I say 'a lot' but you know how Shiori is, if she mentions someone, anyone at all, it is 'a lot'.'

Poking fun at her friend as she spoke with Keima, Konoe Rea, with the **Capturing God **following, had managed to migrate to a bench near to the train station. Although Keima was wondering to himself why he did that in the first place, he eventually settled on it being done for the sake of gathering intelligence.

If Konoe Rea retained memories from his 'capture' of her, the situation would be tricky, not to mention tedious as they would have to inform New Hell of this development, somehow... without getting the other girls involved in this backlash.

'That is true.'

Agreeing with her, Keima found himself slightly disturbed at how easily he was answering her questions. Was it the effect of Miyabi Eru that was causing this change in him as well? Before, he had always discouraged himself from being forthcoming and open with his thoughts, as it gave others a chance and an opportunity to peek into the mystery that was the Capturing God.

'So it is a pleasure to really meet you for the first time. I've always wondered what Shiori's white knight and prince charming is... with how Shiori is, I thought that you'll be a bit more...'

Trailing away as she realized she was being rude, Konoe Rea smiled slightly as she said that she was surprised that Keima was so...

'Normal.'

'…?'

Unsure whether she was being sarcastic or not, Keima blinked and offered a small smile when Rea recounted that Shiori could be quite odd and eccentric at times due to what she was reading at that moment and how she could be led by anyone easily.

It was easy to remember how as Shiori was prone to doing that in books that she was really into. There was a period of time where she actually sounded like she was from feudal Japan, what with her weird suffixes.

'You know, there was the time where she actually thought she was a detective and called me Watson by mistake... my stomach hurts just thinking about that~'

Recounting her memories with her friend, Konoe Rea lapsed into silence after a while and the two of them sat together, watching people and students going into the train station.

'Shiori is a good friend of mine, Katsuragi-san.'

Breaking the silence after a while, Keima turned to see Rea back on her feet, dusting her skirt as she bowed and smiled at him.

'Please continue to be good friends with her. She's very shy... but I think you know what she feels about you.'

There really was no connection between the two of them at all from the start and so there wasn't any reason for the 'encounter' with Konoe Rea to last longer than it should.

Nor should he expect something different from the Konoe Rea that was in front of him. Yes, he had been the one to liberate her, to urge and push her into the path that she was following right now.

Even if he said that he was the one that she _could _rely on if she needed, she was the person that saved herself. Not him, he was the one who helped her to realize that.

Was he disappointed? He should not be and he would not be, he decided, as he nodded back to Konoe Rea, who smiled and nodded back in understanding.

'I'm glad that Katsuragi-san can see that then~ Not that I expected anything less from you, Katsuragi-san.'

Blushing a little as her eyes wavered and she looked down momentarily, Konoe Rea shook her head and said her goodbyes.

'Good bye, Katsuragi-san, I should be going off now. Thank you for accompanying me today~'

Bowing, Keima once again saw off another girl as she disappeared amongst the crowd heading into the train station.

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..

'Why is she dangerous, Chihiro! Tell us now!'

The 'us' was Elsi, Asami and her, Takahara Ayumi as she confronted Kosaka Chihiro, who looked uncomfortable as she reached out for a seat.

'She's... dangerous... As she's so similar.'

Chihiro looked confused herself as she related what Fuse Aoba had told her, what the two of them had observed and agreed with after pooling their information together.

'Katsuragi... he's doing all this for a reason, does Elsi know why?'

Though she looked shrewdly at Elsi, Chihiro wasn't sure why she was so disappointed when the demon nodded her head. Elsi was Keima's sister after all, should know him more than her!

At times though, Chihiro admitted that she didn't think the two of them were siblings as they were so different but right now, Chihiro couldn't state that claim. It was like Elsi had been replaced by another individual as she was so...

Confident? Could that be used to describe her right now as she sat on her bed, propped up by her pillow while looking at all of them with a bright, but assured, smile on her face? It was hard to admit this but all of them felt that Elsi was a kind but clumsy girl, mainly tagging along with Keima as he did what he wanted to do. It was hard to treat Elsi seriously but they treated her kindly not because she was their friend, but because she was someone that all of them instinctively felt to be someone who was pure.

That said, it was really hard to treat Elsi seriously as she was so clumsy at times and even if they didn't mean it in a bad way, Elsi always cheered up the mood of the room or the surroundings if she was present.

But this Elsi, this girl that was sitting in front of them was not that Elsi, bumbling, confused and unsure of herself.

This was a Elsi who knew what she was doing, who knew with utmost confidence that what she did would be right and was first and foremost, almost challenging her in that quiet way.

It was a presence that was uplifting as much as it was awe-inspiring and Chihiro knew that she was exaggerating but she could almost feel the aura of Katsuragi Elsi flooding the room.

'Kami-Onii-sama is always looking for the 'ending', the one thing that would satisfy everyone, not just one person. Kami-Onii-sama, he, he wants to save everyone and that is why he couldn't treat all of you the way that all of you wanted to.'

Chihiro was dumbstruck. That was it. That was what Aoba and her had fought so hard to understand, to decipher as well as to agree on, yet Elsi just summarized in two sentences.

'H-How... how did you...'

'I'm Kami-Onii-sama's partner... and sister. I've been with Kami-Onii-sama the longest!'

She wasn't flaunting her status but she was showing and telling them in her own way that she knew Keima the most, understood him and embraced him as well for she didn't seem too sad or too scandalized by her revelation. She probably had accepted that fact, knowing full well the consequences and supported him nonetheless in what he thought was correct.

Even if it might go against everything that she and the other girls might stand for.

'Kami-Onii-sama... said that Chihiro would understand... so I know Kami-Onii-sama was sad too when Chihiro argued with him... Chihiro... he really really thought that you understood him.'

Elsi didn't look sad but she did look sheepish, apologetic even, as if claiming it was just as much her fault as it was Chihiro's. Still, Chihiro flinched and looked down even while Ayumi and Asami looked at Elsi and Chihiro in wonder. The two of them probably couldn't or didn't follow most of what they were saying but as it concerned Keima and them, they tried hard to understand anyway.

'… I did, I thought I did... but now I know that I was close... but not close enough. I want to apologize to him, Elsi, is it too late for me to do that? Aoba too...'

Chihiro's shoulders slumped when Elsi shrugged, saying that she didn't know as well.

'But if Chihiro and Aoba-chan understood why Kami-Onii-sama had to do this... why _did_ you break the 'truce'... I did my part, I didn't tell Kami-Onii-sama what was really going in the truce... there were things that were not explicitly spelled out to Kami-Onii-sama so why... why did you want to break it?'

Chihiro inhaled, the thought of not answering Elsi never even occurring to her

..

'Because Aoba and I thought that is the best way forward.'

Admitting softly while smiling sadly at the same time, Chihiro sighed before asking Ayumi if she mind preparing some tea for all of them even as Elsi nodded slowly in acknowledgement and it was only when Ayumi returned did Chihiro continue.

'We didn't know... well, we suspected that it was like this. But I guess most of us were in denial... it was unnatural for someone to react in this way when we proposed that he make 'amends' by 'going out' with all of us. Perhaps Aoba just wanted to make us all happy for a while... but I don't think even she expected Katsuragi to continue doing the same thing. We didn't end the 'truce' as there really wasn't any 'truce' to begin with, Elsi-chan. When we wanted the 'date', it was more for closure... at least, for me that was. I wanted to know whether I could really like Katsuragi like how I did 'before' or was my feelings for him were fleeting.'

Being serious for she didn't once hesitate or look away, Kosaka Chihiro told that to Katsuragi Elsi and the little demon found herself smiling as she listened to Chihiro.

If she could tell this to her Kami-Onii-sama, perhaps he would applaud and say that she had triggered 'flags' in him? That was something that she wasn't clear on but one thing was clear, Chihiro's feelings were the real thing and she was saying the truth.

'So when Katsuragi didn't end it, we didn't change the 'rules' or the 'truce' as Aoba thought that it would just last for a while... but then it went on and on because none of us could give up. I think... at a point, all of us really fell in love with Katsuragi.'

As Asami blushed and nodded, Ayumi defied all odds by saying that she already liked him then.

'He saved us... saved me and I... knew then, that he was my knight in shining armor. Even if it might be fake, even if it might be forced, that doesn't change the fact that he was my first love and would continue to be my only love.'

A confession that had been said to Keima but this time it was to the other girls and although Ayumi was blushing profusely after saying that, all of the girls present just smiled and nodded slightly at that.

'All of us liked him, loved him even... and we didn't want this time to end. The time when he could go out with us provided that we agreed amongst each other beforehand and as he treated all of us nicely and fairly... it was alright... right?'

Chihiro gave a long suffering chuckle at the end of her words and it became apparent that the last word was meant to be rhetorical as her eyes narrowed.

'But it wouldn't be alright... not to him nor to us... Ayumi, Asami-chan, do you remember what happened when Katsuragi made Shiori-chan... do that?'

How could they forget? To coax and to ask a girl who liked him to help chase another girl was unforgivable to everyone even if it was to save a life.

Shiori's feelings were like a used tissue, crumbled and discarded like it was nothing and if not for the fact that her friend's life was in danger and that she was thoroughly pampered by Keima for the next two weeks did they let Keima off.

'And more than that... do you really want this to continue endlessly...?'

Chihiro asked them bitterly as she elaborated.

'For him to be with us is fine and all... but for it to never progress beyond this... waiting and hoping... how long before one of us or him, loses patience?'

It was a question that none of them had ever envisioned, at least for these two girls as they told themselves that they would never quit. But to hear that even Keima have a breaking point was surprising to them and they looked to Elsi for confirmation.

'Even though Kami-Onii-sama is the **Capturing God**, Kami-Onii-sama till the end, is only human.'

'Aoba told me... and perhaps all of us at some point or another that Katsuragi was a devil, a **god** and a _human_. And... he wanted to be **god** and unwittingly, we all allowed him to be **god**. I think none of us really understood what he meant when he said he was **god**. None of us, not even Aoba realized it till the end.

That's why we decided to break the truce as we understood what he wanted but we couldn't agree with it. To be **god** is a noble affair... but we girls have our own choices and our wishes, it wouldn't be fair to us or to him if we let him direct everything and hurt himself in the process, right?'

Chihiro's implied answer was enough for Elsi and she smiled in underrstanding before raising a finger in front of her, a determined smile on her face as she said that she won't agree with it, nor would she support it.

'Because... I now know what Kami-Onii-sama really needs... and I'm sorry, Chihiro-chan, Ayumi-chan, but I have to support him getting it, even if I have to go against you two to help him get it~'

* * *

..

'Aoyama...?'

Pausing as he caught sight of Aoyama Mio pacing in front of Café Grandpa, Katsuragi Keima and the **Capturing God** raised an eyebrow as Mio straightened up nervously when she heard his call and she turned back to face him rigidly the next second.

'K-Katsuragi!'

Waiting for her to continue, Keima returned to his games while Mio turned redder and redder before finally responding by shouting his name again.

'KATSURAGI!'

'…'

'K-Katsuragi...'

Looking up from his PFP after Mio stopped again, he saw her looking at him sadly, almost in disappointment and he realized that she was waiting for his 'cue' to continue. As much as it would be satisfying to not give her any and thus leave her hanging, it would probably earn him some physical pain that he didn't want to endure at this time.

'What is it, Aoyama?'

'It's master to you, you... you dog!'

'…'

Not even bothering with a reply, Keima returned to his PFP and looked as though he was going to ignore Mio when she grabbed his sleeve to prevent him from leaving.

'Is that going to be all? Were you playing me all this time? Me and Tsukiyo... were you doing all that to waste your time?'

Mio's abrupt question left him reeling in confusion till Keima remembered that his earlier reaction might be a little too much for Mio; she was a tsundere after all and it wasn't uncommon for them to feel insecure more often than not. He had imagined that Mio would have gotten a little more confident after some time, but apparently that was not the case.

No, that wasn't right, especially with the truce over, Mio might be feeling insecure, which was why she was here. Her confidence in him still liking her might have been shaken simply by such a cold response from him.

Ordinarily she would have gone with a physical or verbal berating like she did earlier but all the fight was out of her and Aoyama Mio was in full 'dere-dere' mood right now.

'Y-You jerk... you didn't care did you... I knew it, how could I or Tsukiyo compare to anyone else... we're just...we just hurt Katsuragi with everything we did.'

'You didn't.'

Keima replied softly; but Mio was probably at the point where she wouldn't accept any explanation from Keima. So he saved time by cutting straight to the chase of the equation.

'You're just being nice! How... how could anyone like me.. I... I can't be truthful to you at all, Ka-Katsuragi.'

It was a full blown confession and Keima internally wondered, how long ago had Mio wanted to be frank with him? This was the real Aoyama Mio, the Mio that had thrown away all her pride that was talking to him right now. The Mio that he had helped create and then coaxed out for the better. A Mio that had been absent most of the time that he had spent with her.

'But you were always nice to me, weren't you, Katsuragi? You came to visit me when I knew that you didn't want to... but I was happy that you did anyway... and you were okay with me hurting you like this, treating you badly... you were always so kind... but I don't need kindness if it's due to pity.'

Getting all of it out of her chest, Mio walked in front of Keima to glare at him, a hard feat to accomplish as she was much shorter than Keima without her platform shoes on.

'Do you hear me? If it's pity or if it's because of what you did to me before, I don't need it, Katsuragi. And definitely the latter... I don't care why you had to do that and what other reasons you might have, I don't care, you should know that I don't care by now!'

She wasn't shouting but she was definitely loud enough to warrant Mari or one of the guests in Cafe Grandpa to come out to investigate if Mio didn't stop soon! Besides, Keima was surprised that she didn't go all out 'dere-dere' mode as she reverted to 'tsun-tsun' all over again.

'… Now that everything is over, the stupid rules don't count, so I don't care what happens after this.'

Mumbling to herself, Aoyama leaped at Keima, as in, literally leaped as she gave him a small kiss on the side of his cheek as suddenly and abruptly as she had appeared in front of him.

'I like you, Katsuragi, and don't you forget it.'

Before she could lose to her tsundere nature no doubt, Aoyama Mio left like the wind with Keima touching the place that Mio had kissed him gingerly.

… From the cooking pot straight to the fire... huh?

* * *

..

Ayumi and Asami really didn't get what Chihiro and Elsi were talking about, if they did, they only followed a part of it. Basically the truce wasn't beneficial to anyone, least of all Keima and it was best if all of the girls just go ahead to do what they wanted in their quest to get Keima to like them.

It was incorrect to say that it would be a fair fight, all's fair in love and war after all even with their friendship with each other. Thus, all three of them, Ayumi, Asami and Chihiro, were stony faced and twitching when they witnessed Mio doing that from the second floor.

'…' '…' '…'

Wordlessly they slammed the window shut while Elsi just continued sipping her tea as thought it didn't concern her, well, it really didn't but surely that warranted some words of comfort?! Or at least a comment or anything!

Instead, Elsi just had the aura of someone who wasn't going to get involved and even gestured for them to continue on with an angelic smile.

'ELSI!'

It was Chihiro who broke first and she ran over to tickle the little demon, causing her to panic, almost dropping her cup of tea as Chihiro demanded to know why she could be so calm when Keima was in danger.

'You said that you'll stand between all of us if it's to help Katsuragi right?! Why are you letting him get kissed like that in public?'

Elsi stuck her tongue out cutely and sheepishly, this was the Elsi that they were more used to and Chihiro simply sighed as well. It was proven beyond doubt that Elsi could definitely pull of a Keima or at least a Aoba impression earlier and so Chihiro was relieved to see her back to normal.

'… Chihiro, Kami-Onii-sama is Kami-Onii-sama... if Kami-Onii-sama allows it, then it's not for me to decide what Kami-Onii-sama can do or cannot do neh? Besides, Chihiro and the others are the one who agreed to this break in the 'truce' neh? So Mio-chan isn't in the wrong~'

She had a valid point and as that thought sank in, all of them jumped when the door opened and Keima stepped in.

'… Good evening.'

Keima must have gotten the news that they were visiting from Mari and he didn't seem too bothered as he walked to check on Elsi.

'Feeling better?'

* * *

**Author's Notes: Another earlier update. Maybe I should shift my updates to this day instead? I'll consider it a little.**


End file.
